idiom
too many irons in the fire
TOO MEN-ee EYE-ernz in thuh FY-er
tuː ˈmɛni ˈaɪərnz ɪn ðə ˈfaɪərListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
toomanyironsinthefire
Dictionary meaning
To have too many activities or projects happening at the same time; to be trying to do too many things at once, risking failure at all of them.
History and origin
From blacksmithing — if a blacksmith heated too many pieces of metal at once, none would be worked at the right temperature.
Examples
- She was managing three major clients simultaneously — too many irons in the fire.
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