Definition
To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce them to comply with one's desires; to hold someone accountable for their actions.
Origins
From the implied threat of physical harm by burning.
In Context
- "In this letter the governor explained that he was being threatened with impeachment and needed all the jobs in his gift to stave off such proceedings and to "hold the feet of members of the legislature to the fire.""
- "We want to hold the Administration's feet to the fire to secure a decent agreement."
- "He kept tabs on presidents, monitored members of Congress, held bureaucrats' feet to the fire."