set the world alight

set the world alight

To do wonderful or exciting things; to cause a great or remarkable sensation in the world; to be extremely exciting, popular, famous, renowned, etc. (Often used in the negative to indicate the opposite.) I wouldn't be too concerned with what he thinks of you. For all his money and education, he's hardly setting the world alight, is he? As a girl, Janet dreamed of setting the world alight as a famous actress.
See also: alight, set, world
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

set the world alight (or on fire)

achieve something sensational. informal
A British variant of this expression is set the Thames on fire .
1976 Dick Francis In the Frame He was the same sort of man my father had been, middle-aged, middle-of-the-road, expert at his chosen job but unlikely to set the world on fire.
See also: alight, set, world
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • heather
  • not set the Thames on fire
  • set the heather alight
  • set the heather on fire
  • set the Thames alight
  • set the Thames on fire
  • Thames
  • set the world on fire
  • not set the world on fire
  • not/never set the world on fire
References in periodicals archive
ASHLEY Young feels his Manchester United team-mate Marcus Rashford has the potential to "set the world alight" and is sure the forward will be a "major player" for England at this summer's World Cup.
"He's a fantastic player and if he keeps going the way he is he can set the world alight.
ASHLEY Young feels his United teammate Marcus Rashford has the potential to "set the world alight" and is sure the forward will be a "major player" for England at this summer's World Cup.
Sanchez hasn't exactly set the world alight since joining the Red Devils, and has only recently started to gel with his new team-mates and grow into an important player.
BORO'S in-form winger Adama Traore could "go and play for Manchester City tomorrow" and would set the world alight, says his former manager Tim Sherwood.
"I'm not hopeful I'm going to set the world alight but, as I've always done throughout my sporting career, I will be as competitive as I can be and see where that takes me."
It is asking a lot for any new boy to set the world alight in his first game, but the Ospreys are optimistic the man from Christchurch will cope with what's thrown at him on his Pro12 bow.
Barack Obama did not set the heather alight as president but Trump could well set the world alight. We should be very afraid.
That is why their national team hasn't set the world alight."
He might not have set the world alight in black-and-white last term, but United mustn't let Cabella go this summer.
The footy boys in green didn't exactly set the world alight against the Scots and we'll need a win here to get our qualification hopes back on track.
Back at Euro 2004, the 18-year-old forward set the world alight with performances that belied his tender years, earning him a place in UEFA's team of the tournament and a move to Manchester United.
Any improvement on that would make him hard to beat, but two subsequent runs over hurdles haven't set the world alight and more than two years since yard had a winner on the Flat.
Knowing that Amazing Alex hasn't exactly set the world alight, it is safe to assume that the huge majority chunk is because of Angry Birds.
NURI SAHIN hasn''t set the world alight since he joined Liverpool on loan from Real Madrid.