Blow hot and cold
Meaning
To frequently change one's opinion or attitude, showing inconsistency or indecision.
Origin
The vivid imagery of "blowing hot and cold" traces its roots back to one of Aesop's timeless Fables, "The Man and the Satyr." In this ancient tale, a traveler sought refuge with a Satyr on a bitterly cold day. To warm his chilled hands, the man blew on them, producing warm air. Later, when served piping hot soup, he blew on it again, this time to cool it down. The simple-minded Satyr, utterly bewildered by the man's ability to produce both warmth and coolness from the same breath, declared that he could not associate with a creature so inconsistent and contradictory. The fable cemented the phrase as a powerful metaphor for unreliable behavior and fickle opinions.
Examples
- Her manager tends to blow hot and cold, praising her work one day and criticizing it the next.
- The committee's decision-making has been blowing hot and cold, making it difficult to plan future projects.