kettle of fish

Related to kettle of fish: different kettle of fish

fine kettle of fish

A difficult or awkward situation; a mess. Primarily heard in US. Well, that's a fine kettle of fish. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week.
See also: fine, fish, kettle, of

kettle of fish

Any given situation or issue. Used with specific modifiers depending on the context, especially "fine" or "pretty" for something difficult or awkward, and "different" or "another" for something dissimilar. Well, that's a pretty kettle of fish. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week. I know you think you're ready for parenthood just because you take care of two dogs, but raising a baby is a completely different kettle of fish.
See also: fish, kettle, of

pretty kettle of fish

A difficult or awkward situation; a mess. Primarily heard in US. Well, that's a pretty kettle of fish. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week.
See also: fish, kettle, of, pretty
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

kettle of fish

1. 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]
2. 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]
See also: fish, kettle, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

kettle of fish, a fine/pretty

A messy predicament. This term is believed to come from a Scottish custom of holding a riverside picnic, itself called a “kettle of fish,” where freshly caught live salmon are thrown into a kettle boiling over an open fire and then are eaten out of hand, definitely a messy procedure. Sir Walter Scott described just such a picnic in St. Ronan’s Well (1824), but the transfer to other kinds of messy predicament had already occurred in the early eighteenth century. The term appears in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews (1742) and works by Dickens, Hardy, Shaw, and many others, but it may now be dying out, at least in America.
See also: fine, kettle, of, pretty
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • fine kettle of fish
  • a pretty kettle of fish
  • be (batting) on a sticky wicket
  • a sticky situation
  • a sticky wicket
  • kettle of fish, a fine/pretty
  • pretty kettle of fish
  • a tough spot
  • a tight corner
  • be like a spare prick at a wedding
References in periodicals archive
"But it's not all doom and gloom here, we'll be up for it too and if we can get a first win ourselves, it could be a different kettle of fish for us this season."
Cassidy's looking at all the positives; EVO-STIK LEAGUE
But I would imagine...they're focusing on me because the minute they raise the issue of conspirators, it would be a whole different kettle of fish."
The feds vs. medical pot: One toke over the line. (Citing)
However, if Mejia has built a reputation as a tireless crusader against fraud inside Colseguros, preventing and detecting violations by clients on the outside is a totally different kettle of fish, particularly in a country known for the ruthless imagination of its criminals.
ZERO TOLERANCE
Web-based businesses, however, are a slightly different kettle of fish. Most commerce on the Web today is what's been described as "pick and pay e-tailing." In many cases, says Mathieu, Net sales are not incremental, but simply substitute purchases that would have been made elsewhere.
Without Borders
Murder One is a whole different kettle of fish. This is a show in which everyone is awful, but some are more awful than others.
Land of good-guy prosecutors
Faithfull is a different kettle of fish. Marianne Faithfull suffers from masochism rather than hubris, and her successes have been symbiotically tied to her failures: her troubles have fed directly into her voice, her musicianship deepening after every fall from grace.
Faithfull: An Autobiography
This is a different kettle of fish again, I just don't see how they can contain them.
Town Merson predicting heavy Town defeat
I doubt she would get many supporters as Benwell is a different kettle of fish to Wingrove.
Rally residents for Benwell clean-up
David said: "Each mill has its own particular identity but Wern Mill is a different kettle of fish completely.
MILL WHEEL TURNS BACK THE CLOCK
If vintage clothing is your thing, Russian Doll Vintage, Sunday Girl Fashion, Ragtime Vintage, Melon Berry Vintage, Dazzylicious and many more will have stalls, for home accessories check out Kettle of Fish and the Yesteryear Shed and jewellery and craft from Abigail Barlow, Jessica Langford, King Crumpet, Sarah Davidson and Lucy Addison.
Christmas shopping at mima vintage fair
PAULO DI CANIO has been sacked - and that makes Liverpool's trip to Sunderland on Sunday a different kettle of fish.
DI CANIO'S EXIT WON'T HELP REDS
"We'll have to respect the football a lot more when we come into the game next week against Oldham, because it's going to be a completely different of kettle of fish all together.
Crusaders put the All Golds to the sword
Williams added: "We also have a big offer on Big Buck's in the Long Walk - money back if your horse finishes second to him - and we're 1-3 about Big Buck's" William Hill are also due to offer 5-1 Prospect Wells and spokeswoman Kate Miller said: "There's been plenty of money for his opponents and, while on paper he looks progressive, this is a different kettle of fish." Pricewise, pages 16-17
Bookies happy to lay Prospect; PRICE WARS
Well, now Philip Schofield and his box are back to test the skill and determination of more hopefuls who'll learn the hard way that it's a very different kettle of fish when you're actually in there and attempting to complete the challenge yourself.
SUNDAY'STV; Pick of the day
But Sandbach are a different kettle of fish, and the visitors will have to be fully switched on for this one if they are to give themselves a chance of moving up to first or second spot in the table.
Pair out for Widnes