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Glite Dictionary
other fish to fry

other fish to fry

7.1
To have more important things to do now
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : tengo cosas más importantes que hacer
  • I would help, but I have other fish to fry at the moment.

Examples

  • Let's move on; we all have other fish to fry today.

  • I have other fish to fry right now.

  • She declined the invitation because she had other fish to fry.

  • Don't bother me; I have other fish to fry!

  • I can't help you with that project right now; I have other fish to fry.

  • She decided not to go to the party since she had other fish to fry.

  • He's busy studying for his exams because he has other fish to fry.

Synonyms

to put on the back burner
vsother fish to fry
1 5.6

To delay dealing with something until later and make it less important

highlights having other matters viewed as more important rather than postponing
bigger fish to fry
vsother fish to fry
  • Informal
1 6.5

To have more important things to do than this matter

is the same idea but as a conversational idiom

Antonyms

minor detail
6 3.2

A small point that is not important

How Important

other fish to fry
  • Informal
7.1
to prioritize
  • US
77 4.1
to attend
169 2.7

Surface Forms

other fish to fry main

Morphology

other + fish + to + fry

The literal meanings of 'other' + 'fish' + 'to fry' point to cooking, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely interpret it literally rather than as 'having more important matters to deal with.' The idiomatic metaphor equating 'fish to fry' with tasks or concerns is not transparently derived from the parts and is culturally specific, so learners need prior exposure to infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Other fish to fry may come from cooking. If a cook has many fish to fry, they must move on to the next job and cannot waste time on small things, so the phrase means 'to have more important things to do'.