fish to fry, to have better/bigger/other
have bigger fish to fry
To have more important or more interesting things to do or attend to. It's really not worth my time. I've got bigger fish to fry! I want Chris to help me with this project, but he claims he has bigger fish to fry right now.
See also: big, fish, fry, have
have other fish to fry
To have more important or more interesting things to do or attend to. I hope the boss keeps this meeting short—we all have other fish to fry.
See also: fish, fry, have, other
other fish to fry
Other, more important matters to deal with. I can't worry about that now, I've got other fish to fry! I want Chris to help me with this project, but he claims he has other fish to fry right now.
See also: fish, fry, other
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
have bigger fish to fry
and have other fish to fry; have more important fish to fryFig. to have other things to do; to have more important things to do. I can't take time for your problem. I have other fish to fry. I won't waste time on your question. I have bigger fish to fry.
See also: big, fish, fry, have
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
other fish to fry
Also, better or bigger fish to fry . More important matters to attend to, as in They asked me to help with the decorations, but I have other fish to fry. [Mid-1500s]
See also: fish, fry, other
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
have other fish to fry
orhave bigger fish to fry
If you have other fish to fry or have bigger fish to fry, you have something more important, interesting, or profitable to do. I didn't pursue it in detail because I'm afraid I had other fish to fry at the time. She tried to avoid wasting time on bureaucratic squabbling. She had bigger fish to fry. Note: This phrase is often varied. For example, if someone has their own fish to fry, they are not interested in doing something because they have business of their own to deal with. Tony comes and goes. He's got his own fish to fry, as they say.
See also: fish, fry, have, other
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
have other (or bigger) fish to fry
have other or more important matters to attend to. 1985 Gregory Benford Artifact Kontos can throw a fit back there, chew the rug, anything—it won't matter. His government has bigger fish to fry.
See also: fish, fry, have, other
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
other fish to fry
Informal Other matters to attend to: He declined to come along to the movie, saying he had other fish to fry.
See also: fish, fry, other
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
fish to fry, to have better/bigger/other
To have other, more important matters to attend to. Referring to fish cookery, this term dates from the seventeenth century. “I fear he has other fish to fry,” wrote John Evelyn in his Memoirs (1660). Actually, this term also appeared in an early translation of Rabelais’s Pantagruel (1552) by Motteux, but it did not seem to catch on until later.
See also: better, big, fish, have, other
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- have bigger fish to fry
- have other/bigger fish to fry
- have more important fish to fry
- bigger fish to fry
- have other fish to fry
- other fish to fry
- fry
- better fish to fry
- fish to fry
- Go fry an egg!