"three-alarm fire"

[Jonathan Lighter]

"Something sensational," as we all know, and usu. in the negative. Gets a bare mention in the OED in a 1932 cite under "three."  Slightly earlier:
 
1930 "Anonymous" [?John Jacob Niles] _One Woman's War_ (N.Y.: Macauley) 120: Although I am no three-alarm fire for good looks.
 
JL




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