play with fire

Verb

Meaning

play with fire (third-person singular simple present plays with fire, present participle playing with fire, simple past and past participle played with fire)

(idiomatic) To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly emotionally or financially.
I'm telling you, if you sign that paper, you're playing with fire.

Source: en.wiktionary.org

Synonyms

gamble take a chance ask for trouble lay on the line

Examples

Clever girl. You play with fire because you want to be burnt. Holly Black

You cannot play with fire. Al-Waleed bin Talal

Ladies who play with fire must remember that smoke gets in their eyes. Mae West

Do not play with fire - you will burn yourself. Russian Proverb

Cotton cannot play with fire. Turkish Proverb

You may crush, bleed, stamp on and scratch me, but I won't play with fire. Sicilian Proverb

Close letter words and terms

play with a full deck play with edge-tools play with edged tools play with house money play with oneself play your cards close to your chest