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.

kettle of fish

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of kettle of fish¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Idioms and Phrases

Also, . 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 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]

Example Sentences

The Smashing Machine is a different kettle of fish, focusing on the world of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and how prominent a figure Kerr was in the early years of the sport in the 1990s.

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"The press are a different kettle of fish."

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This, she said, was a "whole different kettle of fish" which required different skills and experience.

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"But the Crooked House is a different kettle of fish," he said.

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"And that may be a different kettle of fish."

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