English idiom

have bigger fish to fry

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

To have more important matters to deal with.

Why this phrase?

Tasks are compared to fish awaiting preparation; the bigger fish represents the more important priority.

Example

“I can't worry about the office gossip; I've got bigger fish to fry.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

the name of the game

the central, most important aspect of a situation

golden rule

the most important rule or principle to follow

last but not least

final in order but no less important

the high point

the best or most enjoyable part of an event or period

the whole story

all the facts about a situation, including ones not yet known

boil down to

to be summarized as or reduced to the most essential point

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown