heap coals of fire on someone's head

English

Alternative forms

• heap coals of fire upon someone's head

Etymology

An allusion to Romans 12:20 in the Bible.

Verb

heap coals of fire on someone's head (third-person singular simple present heaps coals of fire on someone's head, present participle heaping coals of fire on someone's head, simple past and past participle heaped coals of fire on someone's head)

1. To excite remorse in someone by returning good for evil.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 12:20:

     Therefore if thine enemie hunger, feed him: if he thirst, giue him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head.