The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (185 page)
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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.’
similarity and dissimilarity
;
ways and means
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.
1846Redskins
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.’
similarity and dissimilarity;
ways and means
fight
He who FIGHTS and runs away, may live to fight another day
The phrase to
live to fight another day
is also used allusively. Cf. MENANDER
Sent
. 56 (Jaekel)
ó
ú
ì
ì
live to fight another day
is also used allusively. Cf. MENANDER
Sent
. 56 (Jaekel)
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