KETTLE OF FISH Definition & Meaning

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kettle of fish

an awkward, difficult, or bad situation; muddle; mess:
He's managed to get himself into a fine kettle of fish!
a state of affairs; a matter under consideration:
The new proposal is quite a different kettle of fish from the last one.

kettle of fish

a situation; state of affairs (often used ironically in the phrase a pretty or fine kettle of fish )
case; matter for consideration
that's quite a different kettle of fish

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First recorded in 1735–45

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Examples have not been reviewed.

"The press are a different kettle of fish."

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This, she said, was a "whole different kettle of fish" which required different skills and experience.

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"But the Crooked House is a different kettle of fish," he said.

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"And that may be a different kettle of fish."

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“It’s a very different kettle of fish to the U.S. system,” he said.

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