fish to fry
A matter to attend to.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I cannot help you now because I have other fish to fry.”
“She declined the invitation to the meeting, explaining that she had bigger fish to fry at the office.”
“While the committee debated minor procedural changes, the director insisted they focus on the larger issues, noting that the company had much bigger fish to fry.”
- 01
big fish
An important person.
- 02
big fish in a small pond
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
- 03
bigger fish to fry
A much more pressing issue to attend to.
- 04
cold fish
A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.
- 05
fish in troubled waters
To try to take advantage of a confused or troubled situation.
- 06
fish or cut bait
To make a decision, especially after a period of delay; to either take action now or forgo the opportunity.
- 07
fish out
To search for by rummaging, and then extract (an item from e.g. a container); to obtain.
- 08
fish out of water
A person in unfamiliar and often uncomfortable surroundings.
Last updated August 10, 2026