Fan the flames
Meaning
To deliberately make a difficult or tense situation worse, or to intensify an existing emotion or conflict.
Origin
The act of fanning a fire to intensify it is an ancient human practice, a fundamental interaction with controlled combustion. Early humans quickly learned that by increasing airflow, they could transform smoldering embers into roaring blazes. This powerful, visual act of making something small and contained grow violent and unmanageable readily lent itself to metaphor. The phrase "fan the flames" thus became a vivid shorthand for deliberately escalating a conflict or worsening an emotional state, carrying the inherent drama and danger of a fire spiraling out of control. It perfectly captures the deliberate, often provocative act of turning a flicker into a conflagration, not with physical air, but with words or actions.
Examples
- His provocative comments in the meeting only served to fan the flames of the existing disagreement between the two departments.
- The sensational news report threatened to fan the flames of public anger regarding the recent policy change.