The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (185 page)

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Authors: John Andrew Simpson,

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FIGHT fire with fire

An injunction to counter like with like. Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr.
lung feu doit estaindre lautre
, one fire must put out another;
1608
SHAKESPEARE
Coriolanus
IV. vii. 54 One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail.

1846
Redskins
III. i.
If ‘Fire will fight fire’, ‘Indian’ ought to be a match for ‘Injin’ any day.
1869
Struggles & Triumphs
xl.
I write to ask what your intentions are …Do you intend to fight fire with fire?
1980
Cut-out
ix.
‘You think the other Palestinians have hired some heavies as well?’ ‘Why not? Fight fire with fire.’