What does the idiom "have many irons in the fire" mean?

Idioms are generally defined as groups of words that form a meaningful whole when they come together, even though the words in them do not make sense on their own. They have produced many idioms according to their own cultural characteristics in communities using the English language. What does have many irons in the fire mean? In what situations is have many irons in the fire used?

Meaning of "have many irons in the fire"

Meaning

The phrase "have many irons in the fire" is an idiom that is used to describe someone who is involved in numerous activities at one time. It suggests that a person is multitasking, and has a variety of projects, tasks, or goals that are all in different stages of completion, like a blacksmith with many pieces of metal in their forge. In other words, it implies that a person is focusing on a lot of different endeavors simultaneously.

Etymology

The phrase "have many irons in the fire" originated in the 1500’s as an analogy to a blacksmith’s forge. In that era, blacksmiths would have multiple pieces of metal heated up at once in the fire. This gave them the opportunity to work on multiple pieces of metal at the same time.

Over the years, this phrase has been adapted and adopted to refer to someone who is trying to accomplish numerous tasks at once. It is a metaphor for having multiple projects or goals all started, and each one is at a different stage of completion. The phrase is sometimes shortened to just “have irons in the fire”.

Usage

This phrase is generally used to express admiration for someone’s ability to accomplish a lot of things at once. It is also used with a slight note of caution; after all, having too many irons in the fire can be a recipe for disaster. When someone has too much on their plate, it can be difficult to juggle all of the tasks and prioritize which should be done first. The phrase can also be used sarcastically, to point out that someone has bitten off more than they can chew.

Example Sentences

  • I'm so impressed with what she has accomplished! She always has so many irons in the fire.
  • I'm trying to get everything done before the deadline, but I'm starting to have too many irons in the fire.
  • He's always trying to do too much. He really has a lot of irons in the fire.

The meanings of the words in the "have many irons in the fire" idiom

Idioms have a common language

"The early bird catches the worm" is an English idiom that means that those who wake up early and start their day early are more likely to succeed. A similar idiom in Spanish is "El que madruga, Dios le ayuda," which translates to "God helps those who rise early." This idiom emphasizes the importance of starting the day early in order to achieve success.

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