have bigger fish to fry


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 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

have other/bigger fish to ˈfry

(informal) have more important, interesting or useful things to do: He’s not interested in reviewing small provincial exhibitions like this one; he’s got much bigger fish to fry. ♢ So you aren’t coming out with us tonight? I suppose you’ve got other fish to fry.See also: big, fish, fry, have, other

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