# What does "fiery end" mean to you, as in "the situation came to a fiery end" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311 "2014-12-15T18:11:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/1 "2014-12-15T18:11:56Z")
Just fire involved? Just gunfire involved? Could be any combination of fire and gunfire? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/2 "2014-12-15T18:19:27Z")
Violent or highly emotional (big argument/fight) ending. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/3 "2014-12-15T18:21:29Z")
It depends entirely on the context. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/4 "2014-12-15T18:22:04Z")
To clarify, I should have added in the OP that you are reading it in news article headline. Say, a hostage situation for example. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/5 "2014-12-15T18:23:14Z")
And, I should have put this in IMHO. I shall report it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/6 "2014-12-15T18:26:04Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Violent or highly emotional (big argument/fight) ending. Yeah, it’s a metaphor for me too. Fire is not involved. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/7 "2014-12-15T18:32:36Z")
In general conversation, yes, it often a metaphor. It may also be a metaphor in certain kinds of news reports, such as for political meetings. > [@Revtim](#): > > To clarify, I should have added in the OP that you are reading it in news article headline. Say, a hostage situation for example. In _this_ kind of situation, I would certainly think gunfire and explosions. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/8 "2014-12-15T18:34:47Z")
It blowed up real good. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/9 "2014-12-15T19:06:54Z")
Non-metaphorically? Something caught on fire big time. Gunfire and no flames would never occur to me. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/10 "2014-12-15T19:37:01Z")
“the situation came to a fiery end” Fire, charred, conflagration, firestorm, inferno, burning, smoke, Texas chili. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/11 "2014-12-15T20:56:37Z")
To me it actually means something akin to another metaphor: it “crashed and burned”. My understanding: The situation totally destroyed itself beyond any chance of getting fixed. Which reminds me of yet another situation: Humpty Dumpty. J. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/12 "2014-12-15T21:21:01Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Non-metaphorically? Something caught on fire big time. Gunfire and no flames would never occur to me. This. Gunfire isn’t “fiery.” ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/13 "2014-12-15T22:08:19Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > To clarify, I should have added in the OP that you are reading it in news article headline. Say, a hostage situation for example. I’d take it literally in that context: Fire. As in lots of flames and some smoke. Nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/14 "2014-12-15T22:12:55Z")
Moved as requested by OP to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/15 "2014-12-15T22:16:44Z")
Intense flames, no guns. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/16 "2014-12-16T00:37:58Z")
Flames, with probably some kind of explosion as well. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/17 "2014-12-16T00:42:09Z")
Crashed and burned. Like airplane crash. ---
**Author:** ![Iamnotivan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Iamnotivan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamnotivan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/18 "2014-12-16T00:45:02Z")
I read a great deal about the Inquisition which lasted from 1200 to 1812 (Yes, 600 years) in which the Holy Catholic Church burned tens of thousands at the stake for (mostly for nothing - just BS) being Heretics, BIgamists, Wizards, Witches (they adored watching people burn after months of the most horrendous torture - which included waterboarding exactly as the CIA did it) and especially Jews. Today I was reading that Chas. II of England, new king at age 17 and his new bride were going to visit Madrid. The Spanish wanted to do something special, so built a huge stage, and a 3 story bldg for invited guest viewing, and consigned about 78 people to the flames. The Spanish royals loved it and King Chas. applauded to show that he was not too exhausted after a whole day of watching people burn to death. (see: Wm. H. Rule, Hist. of the Inquisition, 1878 2 vols). This may be an early form of a fiery end courtesy of a sadistic regime that lasted 60 years and was only halted when Napoleon B. entered Spain and later Italy and told them to knock it off. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/19 "2014-12-16T01:04:04Z")
Not just fire but fire in epic proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Idilia\_Dubb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@Idilia\_Dubb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idilia_Dubb)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311/20 "2014-12-17T16:16:45Z")
Waco. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fiery-end-mean-to-you-as-in-the-situation-came-to-a-fiery-end/707311.md?page=2)