bigger fish to fry
The idiom "bigger fish to fry" suggests prioritizing more significant matters over less important ones, originating from fishing culture where larger fish were more valuable.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)Having more important or pressing matters to attend to.
Example
- I can't help with that right now; I have bigger fish to fry.
- She declined the invitation, saying she had bigger fish to fry.
B2General
(informal)Prioritizing more significant or challenging goals.
Example
- He didn't worry about the minor issue because he had bigger fish to fry.
- They focused on the major project, having bigger fish to fry than the small tasks.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "bigger fish to fry":