grow like wildfire
Meaning: To spread very fast.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The neighborhood library's book club grew like wildfire.”
Category: Nature
Origin: "Wildfire" once named an uncontrollable blaze and also a burning mixture used in war. "Spread like wildfire" is found from the 19th century; "grow like wildfire" follows the same image.
Equivalents in other languages
- Spanish: crecer como la espuma — literally: to grow like foam
More idioms — Nature
- blow me down — An exclamation of complete surprise.
- be over the moon — Absolutely delighted.
- green with envy — Extremely jealous.
- put down roots — To settle somewhere permanently.
- hit rock bottom — To reach the lowest possible point.
- lead someone up the garden path — To deceive someone, keeping them hopeful along the way.
More English idioms
- at the stroke of a pen — By one quick official decision.
- not on your life — Absolutely not.
- tread carefully — To act with great caution in a delicate situation.
- pull the other one — Said to someone telling an obvious lie.
- make a clean break — To end something completely rather than gradually.
- a bit on the side — A secret lover; an affair.
From our proverbs
- Wit is the lightning of the mind. — Sudden brilliance illuminates truth instantly, but like lightning, its flash vanishes qui…
- You may truss up all his wit in an egg-shell. — Wit confined to theoretical cleverness without practical application remains insignifican…
- Wit ill applied is a dangerous weapon. — Clever words wielded carelessly inflict harm deeper than intended, making intelligence wi…