Were Iron in the Fire?

Meaning: If you have an iron in the fire, you have a project, undertaking or plan of action; having several irons in the fire means you have more than one.

What does it mean to have iron in the fire?

: activities or projects that someone is involved in Although he won't say exactly what he's working on now, he says he has quite a few irons in the fire.

Where did the phrase irons in the fire come from?

The expression too many irons in the fire is derived from the trade of blacksmithing. If a blacksmith attempts to heat too many pieces of iron in his fire at once, it cools the fire and none of the pieces of iron will heat properly. The phrase too many irons in the fire dates back to the mid-1500s.