kettle of fish
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kettle of fish
noun
1.
an awkward, difficult, or bad situation; muddle; mess: He's managed to get himself into a fine kettle of fish!
2.
a state of affairs; a matter under consideration: The new proposal is quite a different kettle of fish from the last one.
Origin:
1735–45
1735–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To kettle of fish
Collins
World English Dictionary
| kettle of fish | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a situation; state of affairs (often used ironically in the phrase a pretty or fine kettle of fish) |
| 2. | case; matter for consideration: that's quite a different kettle of fish |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Kettle of fish
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
kettle of fish
-
Also, a fine or pretty kettle of fish. An unpleasant or messy predicament, as in They haven't spoken in years, and they're assigned to adjoining seats
that's a fine kettle of fish. This term alludes to the Scottish riverside picnic called kettle of fish, where freshly caught salmon were boiled and eaten out of hand. [Early 1700s] -
a different or another kettle of fish. A very different matter or issue, not necessarily a bad one. For example, They're paying for the meal? That's a different kettle of fish. [First half of 1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
He has sown his wild oats and finds himself undismayed, but nevertheless with a pretty kettle of fish in his palatial cauldrons.
But when you were dealing with arms control issues it was another kettle of fish.
Speculators, despite their bad name, are a different and far healthier kettle of fish.
And a pretty kettle of fish they make of it between them.
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