open fire

open fire

1. verb Literally, to fire or begin firing a gun (at someone). The troops opened fire as soon as they saw the militants exit the building.
2. verb By extension, to begin attacking, criticizing, or interrogating someone. The reporters opened fire on the commissioner with a barrage of intense questions.
3. noun A fire not contained by a fireplace or stove. There's nothing quite like roasting marshmallows over an open fire.
See also: fire, open
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

open fire (on someone or something)

to begin shooting at someone or something. The troops opened fire on the enemy. The trainees opened fire on the target.
See also: fire, open

open fire

(on someone) Fig. to start (doing something, such as asking questions or criticizing). (Based on open fire on someone or something.) The reporters opened fire on the mayor. When the reporters opened fire, the mayor was smiling, but not for long.
See also: fire, open
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

open fire

Begin a verbal attack, as in In her second letter to the editor she opened fire, saying the reporter had deliberately misquoted her . This idiom alludes to discharging a firearm. [Mid-1800s]
See also: fire, open
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

open ˈfire (on somebody/something)

start shooting (at somebody/something): The officer gave the order to open fire on the enemy. OPPOSITE: hold your fire
See also: fire, open
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

open fire

To begin firing a gun or guns.
See also: fire, open
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • open fire on (someone)
  • under fire
  • put out a/the fire
  • on fire
  • have a/(one's) finger on the button
  • draw (someone's) fire
  • draw fire
  • draw someone's fire
  • catch (on) fire
  • catch fire
References in periodicals archive
WITH gas prices sky high and the amount of rubbish piling up, I say bring back open fires.
Letter: YOUR SHOUT - Time to bring back open fires
Elite force in-charge Abdur Rauf stated before the JIT that Khan compelled police men on the scene to open fire on the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) demonstrators and target their legs which resulted bloodshed of around dozen protestors and injuring around 80.
Defending the security personnel, Rauf said that they were unwilling to open fire fearing of causalities.
Model Town tragedy JIT informed, SP Khan ordered to open fire on PAT\\'s demonstrators
It spurred firefighters to step up warnings about the importance of using properly-fitting fireguards after it emerged the blaze was caused by a spark from an open fire which ignited the carpet.
Open fire spark set off blaze in lounge
Among the 1,717 mothers, 871 cooked with wood over an open fire during pregnancy, 489 used a wood stove with a chimney, and 357 employed electricity or gas.
Cooking up problems for babies: wood smoke and low birth weight. (Science Selections)
According to police, the incident took place nearby district court in Gujranwala when unknown people open fire on prisoner police mobile van while coming to the court for proceeding the murder case.
2 killed as police van ambushed in Gujranwala (updated)
Other tactics have been for ordinary Iraq is to surround arriving soldiers and appear to welcome them before dispersing to allow troops to open fire from a short distance.
WAR ON SADDAM: Guerrilla tactics
The Israeli army regularly open fires on Palestinian fisherman and farmers along the border areas, despite a ceasefire agreement that ended the 2014 war.
Israeli Forces Open Fire at Gaza Farmers, Fishermen
Research in the past decade has identified numerous health risks to children who are exposed regularly to smoke from open fires used in cooking.
Open-fire cooking 'may negatively impact child cognitive development'