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Region: General | Usage example: Onboarding felt like drinking from the firehose.

Drink from the firehose

Meaning

Try to absorb too much information at once.

Usage

Used when describing overwhelming learning curves.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Firefighters manage powerful hoses; drinking would be overwhelming.

Used in tech and training scenes.

Related Idioms

Straight from the horse's mouth

Information directly from the source.

Apple don't fall far from the tree

Children often resemble their parents.

Cut from the same cloth

Very similar in nature or origin.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.