Fan the Flames

 

 

J : Anna, what are you looking at?

A : A car stopped on the road.  The men are fighting.

    Oh, no!  Now the women are fighting.

J : Wow! That is definitely going to fan the flames.

A : It has fanned the flames.  Now everyone is fighting.

 

Fanning a fire makes it stronger.

The same can be said about a situation.

To "fan the flames" makes something a bigger deal.

We often say this when talking about problems.

But you can also say it about positive things like a new romance.

 

fan the flames (of something)  ; 

(~의 불길에) 기름을 끼얹은 격이 되다[불난 집에 부채질하다]

His writings fanned the flames of racism.