kettle of fish
noun phrase
1
: a bad state of affairs : mess
2
: something to be considered or dealt with : matter
a different kettle of fish
Word History
First Known Use
1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1
kettle of fish
phrase
as in hole
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape I'm used to paddling, but those rapids are a whole other kettle of fish. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- hole
- pickle
- predicament
- dilemma
- rabbit hole
- bind
- swamp
- box
- sticky wicket
- corner
- difficulty
- impasse
- spot
- jackpot
- jam
- hot water
- quagmire
- mire
- rattrap
- soup
- crisis
- catch-22
- node
- trouble
- fix
- plight
- emergency
- quandary
- stalemate
- clutch
- deadlock
- pinch
- standstill
- strait
- halt
- crossroad
- scrape
- juncture
- logjam
- exigency
