# out of the frying pan and into the fire

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

Things are going from bad to worse

## Origin

From an ancient Greek proverb ('out of the smoke into the flame'); the English frying-pan form appears in Thomas More's writings (1532).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.