Explaining "Don’t put too many irons in the fire."

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 18/11/2024, 06:46

English.me team member

What does it mean?

The phrase means not to take on more tasks or responsibilities than you can handle effectively at one time.

Tone

Cautionary

Origin

This idiom originates from blacksmithing, where having too many pieces of iron in the fire at once can lead to them not being heated properly. It cautions against doing too many things simultaneously to avoid poor results.

Examples of usage

While it's tempting to join multiple clubs this semester, remember not to put too many irons in the fire.
She's taken on several projects at work, but I'm worried she might have too many irons in the fire.