heap coals of fire on one's head
To be kind or helpful to someone who has done wrong to you, so that he is ashamed.
Alice heaped coals of fire on Mary's head by inviting her to a party after Mary had gossiped about her.
Jean Valjean stole the Bishop's silver, but the Bishop heaped coals of fire on his head by giving the silver to him.
hold one's fire
hold fire
To keep back arguments or facts; keep from telling something.
Tow could have hurt Fred by telling what he knew, but he held his fire.
Mary held fire until she had enough information to convince the other club members.
irons in the fire
too many irons in the fire
have too many irons in the fire
Something you are doing; one of the projects with which a person is busy; job.
Занятие, профессия; проект на которым в данный момент ведется работа.
John had a number of irons in the fire, and he managed to keep all of them hot.
If that job application doesn't work out I've got a couple more irons in the fire.
Если с этой вакансией ничего не выйдет, то у меня есть еще несколько вариантов в запасе.
Usually used in the phrase too many irons in the fire.
"Ed has a dozen things going all the time, but none of them seem to work out." "No wonder. He has too many irons in the fire."
keep the home fires burning
To keep things going as usual while someone is away; wait at home to welcome someone back.
Присматривать за домом пока кто-то в отъезде; ждать дома чтобы поприветствовать возвратившегося человека.
While John was in the army, Mary kept the home fires burning.
Please, don't worry. I will stay home and keep the home fires burning while you are on holiday.
Пожалуйста, не беспокойся, я останусь дома и буду присматривать за хозяйством, пока ты в отпуске.
line of fire
The path that something fired or thrown takes.
When the bandit and the police began to shoot, John was almost in their line of fire.
misfire
To fail to appeal; fall flat.
The standup comic's jokes misfired with the audience.
open fire
To begin shooting.
The big warship turned its guns toward the enemy ship and opened fire.
When the policeman called to the robber to stop, he turned and suddenly opened fire.
out of the frying pan into the fire
Out of one trouble into worse trouble; from something bad to something worse. A proverb.
The movie cowboy was out of the frying pan into the fire. After he escaped from the robbers, he was captured by Indians.