Last Updated：2025/11/19

(idiomatic, transitive) To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.

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light a fire under

Source Word

light a fire under

Verb

idiomatic transitive

(idiomatic, transitive) To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.

Japanese Meaning

（人に）すぐに行動させる、早く始めさせるよう奮い立たせる / （人を）刺激し、より速い動きを促す

The coach knew how to light a fire under the team before the championship game.

監督は決勝戦の前にチームを奮い立たせる方法を知っていた。

Sense（1）

(idiomatic, transitive) To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.

Let me see if I can light a fire under the waiter to get our order sooner.

lights a fire under

（ present singular third-person ）

lighting a fire under

（ participle present ）

lit a fire under

（ participle past ）

lit a fire under

（ past ）