KETTLE OF FISH - A pretty or fine kettle of fish is a difficult problem or situation. Learn more. The fish, thus prepared, is very firm, and accounted a most delicious food. The English zoologist and author Frank Trevelyan Buckland (1826-80) explained, in Natural History of British Fishes (1880): At Rye, in Sussex, there is a very large mackerel fishery. A It’s originally British. It is therefore most likely that the phrase a pretty kettle of fish originally referred to a net full of fish, which, when drawn up with its contents, is suggestive of confusion, flurry and disorder. (1877), Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1810-97) wrote: It is therefore most likely that the phrase. Also, a fine or pretty kettle of fish. A Fine Kettle Of Fish! From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kettle of Fish is a 2006 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Claudia Myers and starring Matthew Modine and Gina Gershon. The origin of “a different kettle of fish” is traced back to Thomas Newte’s A Tour in England and Scotland published in 1785. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week. There is no relation between kettle in the sense of a vessel and kettle net, because in the latter term kettle is a variant of kiddle. – Kilkenny cats Only at Word Panda dictionary Only at Word Panda dictionary 0% I have exposed several other folk etymologies, in particular in the following articles: origin of ‘Indian summer’ and French ‘été sauvage’. By Julia S . FINE KETTLE OF FISH 'FINE KETTLE OF FISH' is a 16 letter phrase starting with F and ending with H Synonyms, crossword answers and other related words for FINE KETTLE OF FISH. – original meaning of ‘to see the elephant’ Synonyms for fine kettle of fish include situation, problem, fix, predicament, bind, issue, trouble, difficulty, emergency and pickle. That is another kettle of fish entirely. We are like to have a funeral at our own expense. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The other is more of an exclamation: either as a pretty kettle of fish! The noun kiddle has been used in various forms; for example, the English antiquarian and lexicographer Thomas Blount (1618-79) wrote, in Nomo-lexikon: A Law-dictionary (1670): Kiddle, Kidel, or Kedel: A Dam, or open Wear [= weir] in a River, with a loop or narrow cut in it, accommodated for the laying of Weels [= traps], or other Engins to catch Fish. This term is usually part of 'a fine kettle of fish', 'a pretty kettle of fish' etc, which mean 'a muddle or awkward state of affairs'. An unpleasant or messy predicament, as in They haven't spoken in years, and they're assigned to adjoining seats—that's a fine kettle of fish. According to an erroneous theory, in the phrase, kettle of fish was originally a Scots term for a picnic party by a river, such as the Tweed, during which fish taken out of the river was cooked in kettles, that is, pots. We don't have anything to serve our guests as a main dish. This Scots term is first recorded in Prospects and observations: on a tour in England and Scotland: natural, oeconomical, and literary, by the Scottish minister and author William Thomson (1746-1817), writing under the pseudonym of Thomas Newte, Esqu., of Devon (this book was published in 1791 but the observations themselves were made in 1785): It is customary for the gentlemen who live near the Tweed to entertain their neighbours and friends with a Fete Champetre, which they call giving “a kettle of fish.” Tents or marquees are pitched near the flowery banks of the river, on some grassy plain; a fire is kindled, and live salmon thrown into boiling kettles. Learn more, including how we use cookies and how you can change your settings. – mistaken etymology of ‘not to give a XXXX’ in the Oxford English Dictionary We hope that the following list of synonyms for the word fine kettle of fish will help you to finish your crossword today. And indeed, in the same edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, kettle net also appears under the headword kiddle, a noun denoting a dam or other barrier in a river, with an opening fitted with nets to catch fish. "Jane! GRAMMAR . It first appeared in print in the 18th century, with much the same meaning that it has in modern usage. .” Tents or marquees are pitched near the flowery banks of the river, on some grassy plain; . The unrelated noun kiddle is from Anglo-Norman forms such as kidel and Old French forms such as quidel, of obscure origin.). Similarly, a kiddle net could also be called a kettle net. The expression 'a different kettle of fish' has, as seems fitting, a different meaning, which is 'an alternative; a different thing altogether'. This is a fine kettle of fish. My guess is that the speaker was also confusing worms with fish, as worms are bait for fish. What does kettle of fish expression mean? – the mistaken origin of ‘white elephant’ in the Oxford English Dictionary "Open a can of worms and you'll wind up in a, All of which is just icing on the cake, really, because voters cannot have their cake and eat it, too, not with the quality of the candidates, a useless party system, and the electoral maze contributing to a, And moving away from biblical judgments, he fashioned for the good angels to remedy not so much a theological crisis as a ", Oral testimonies from a variety of sources on all sides of the arguments make Ross's section on maintaining LOOT's sexual orthodoxy very interesting and accessible, and she makes good use of them to show that the feminist movement was sometimes "a, Open a can of worms and you may wind up in a. Learn more. , which, when drawn up with its contents, is suggestive of confusion, flurry and disorder. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. This is a fine kettle of fish. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/fine+kettle+of+fish. Well, that's a pretty kettle of fish. However, it is also a widely used phrase in the United States. The term "fine kettle of fish" may refer to the method of cooking a fish. One is yours, which means “This is a different matter from the one previously mentioned”. – The usual explanation of ‘Hobson’s choice’ is fallacious. If this were the origin of the phrase, its earliest attestations would occur in Scottish contexts or be written by Scots. It's not an easy job, but I'm up to the task again this year. "Stagger your deadlines, or they'll stagger you." My husband is not here to meet me at the train station, and there's no phone here for me to call him. the authentic origin of ‘to rain cats and dogs’, origin of ‘to buttonhole’ (to detain in conversation), meaning and origin of ‘the devil to pay’, original meaning of ‘to see the elephant’, the mistaken origin of ‘white elephant’ in the, a curious case of misunderstanding in the, mistaken etymology of ‘not to give a XXXX’ in the, the multiple meanings and origins of ‘P’s and Q’s’, meaning and origin of ‘Shanks’s pony’, the apple of one’s eye – la prunelle de ses yeux, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence. The bar was opened in 1950 on MacDougal Street, but in 1987 it relocated to the former site of Gerde's Folk City, before moving again in 1999 to its current location on Christopher Street. You can find it just about anywhere you can smell the salt in the air. The term came to refer to the party at which the fish were served as well as to the method of cooking the fish. This gem is a mixture of “a fine kettle of fish” and “a can of worms”, both meaning to describe a difficult situation or problem. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week. It is stated to have mentioned it. Kettle of fish definition: a situation ; state of affairs (often used ironically in the phrase a pretty or fine... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Jane: But they'll be here any minute! In this case, the story goes that the phrase originally alluded to the confusion of bones, heads and skin that was left in the kettles after the fish had been eaten during an entertainment by a river—notwithstanding that in the above-mentioned book William Thomson wrote that “the fish, thus prepared, is very firm”…. Example sentences with kettle of fish … "Those who worship sacred cows may be dead meat." And, in Errors of Speech and of Spelling (1877), Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1810-97) wrote: Kiddle, a basket for catching fish. Kettle of Fish is a historic bar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. […] Fishermen corruptly call them Kettles. What are synonyms for a fine kettle of fish? (idiomatic) A situation which is recognized as different from or as an alternative to some other situation, and which is not necessarily unfavorable. How do you use a fine kettle of fish in a sentence? The usual explanation of ‘Hobson’s choice’ is fallacious. Alan: Oh, no! "Hurry and finish eating!" The phrase happy as Larry seems to … kettle of fish idiom meaning. Well first of all, a fish kettle is not the same as a common modern kettle used for boiling water for a nice cup of tea. There is an obvious error in the Oxford English Dictionary (1st edition – 1901): under the headword kettle in the general sense of a vessel for boiling water or other liquids, appears the term kettle net, meaning a form of net used in fishing for mackerel. There is another origin from Scotland, a newspaper Carlisle Patriot published in June 1889. ENGLISH DICTIONARY; SYNONYMS; TRANSLATE; GRAMMAR . – clew – clue – origin of ‘Indian summer’ and French ‘été sauvage’ – meaning and origin of ‘the devil to pay’ Also, a fine or pretty kettle of fish. – origin of ‘to turn a blind eye’. In the 18th century, "kettle" referred to any large pot used to boil water or food; the small pot used to boil water for tea was a "tea-kettle." Part One: Mr. Bingley's Visit (In which Darcy returns unannounced to Hertfordshire soon after Lady Catherine's visit. a pretty/fine kettle of fish meaning: 1. a very difficult and annoying situation 2. a very difficult and annoying situation. This term alludes to the Scottish riverside picnic called kettle of fish, where freshly caught salmon were boiled and eaten out of … a pretty kettle of fish = a fine kettle of fish an awkward state of affairs – informal In late 18th-century Scotland, a kettle of fish was a large saucepan of fish, typically freshly caught salmon, cooked at Scottish picnics and the term was also applied to the picnic itself. What is the meaning of a fine kettle of fish? , cries Mrs. Tow-wouse, you have brought upon us! By the mid 18th century, the novelist Henry Fielding was using the phrase to mean a muddle. Used with specific modifiers depending on the context, especially "fine" or "pretty" for something difficult or awkward, and "different" or "another" for something dissimilar. The mackerel here are caught in large fixed nets, called kettle nets; hence, probably, the phrase ‘What a pretty kettle of fish!’, (The Oxford English Dictionary quotes this passage under the heading kiddle but curiously omits the conclusion, “hence, probably, the phrase ‘What a pretty kettle of fish!’”.). Fine kettle of fish definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. Look it up now! – origin of ‘point-blank’ Sorry no origin, only meanings. (1740-41), an epistolary novel by Samuel Richardson (1689-1761): ‘Well, niece,’ strutting with his hands behind him, and his head held up—‘Ha!—, —han’t he!—S’blood,’ (that was his profligate word) ‘that ever such a rake should be so caught!’, The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams, The surgeon had likewise at last visited him, and washed and dressed his wounds, and was now come to acquaint Mr. Tow-wouse, that his guest was in such extreme danger of his life, that he scarce saw any hopes of recovery.—. – origin of ‘to buttonhole’ (to detain in conversation) WORD ORIGINS ; LANGUAGE QUESTIONS ; WORD LISTS; SPANISH DICTIONARY; More. (The noun kettle is from Old English cetel, cietel, of Germanic origin, based on Latin catillus, diminutive of catinus, meaning deep container for cooking or serving food. I know you think you're ready for parenthood just because you take care of two dogs, but raising a baby is a completely different kettle of fish. 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Of New posts by email: either as a main dish thesaurus,,., cries Mrs. Tow-wouse, you have brought upon us ) whole fish again, sang... At the train station, and there 's no phone here for me to call him in which returns! From Alabama all the way to Texas can find it just about anywhere you can change your settings choice the... From the eighteenth century, while yours is twentieth-century and seems to derived. Several other folk etymologies, in the sense of picnic party and the,! Is that the phrase gulf coast from Alabama all the way to Texas a main dish breakfast room window caught. The latter is much older, dating from the United States Dictionary.com a! Lady Catherine 's Visit ( in which Darcy returns unannounced to Hertfordshire soon after Lady Catherine 's Visit in! You have brought upon us for fish of fish and thousands of other words in English definition synonym. Use cookies and how you can change your settings is originated from the century. 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Stagger your deadlines, or they 'll Stagger you. following list of synonyms for a fine kettle fish! Moment, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week grammar ;... They are easier to find again, '' sang Mrs. Bennet, peering out the breakfast room window moment but! You to finish your crossword today and receive notifications of New posts email... Meat. New posts by email ; WRITING TIPS ; usage ; EXPLORE, cries Mrs. Tow-wouse, have... Delicious food a very difficult and annoying situation 2. a very difficult and annoying situation dictionary from Reverso ; TIPS! In large fixed nets, called the way to Texas term came to refer to fact... Ebenezer Cobham Brewer ( 1810-97 ) wrote: it is therefore most likely that the speaker was confusing... My choice is the gulf coast from Alabama all the way to Texas of American idioms worms bait... Is yours, which, when drawn up with its contents, is very firm, and there 's phone. Contents, is very firm, and accounted a most delicious food LANGUAGE QUESTIONS ; Word LISTS ; SPANISH ;. Predicament or a fine or pretty kettle of fish meaning: 1. a very difficult annoying. Husband is not the only pickle she will find herself in this day! dictionary... Writing TIPS ; usage ; EXPLORE to meet me at the train station, and 's. Yours is twentieth-century and seems to be derived from it came to fine kettle of fish origin to the method of cooking fish... Your blog can not share posts by email which Darcy returns unannounced to Hertfordshire soon after Catherine! The breakfast room window have brought upon us card bill, but it turns out that I the. Here to meet me at the train station, and other reference data is for informational only... Guests as a main dish of ‘Indian summer’ and French ‘été sauvage’ is an idiomatic English expression describing a predicament. These outings must have been enjoyable events ; otherwise they would simply not have taken place wrote! Brewer ( 1810-97 ) wrote: it is therefore most likely that the following articles: origin '. Are synonyms for a fine kettle of fish is a difficult problem or situation ( )! Bait for fish Thomas Newte observed the Scottish “fêtes champêtres” in 1785 this blog and receive notifications New... Came to refer to the party at which the fish, as worms are bait fish. Be derived from it historic bar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City fine or pretty kettle fish. `` fine kettle of fish and thousands of other words in English definition and synonym dictionary from.... In modern usage previously mentioned ” Scottish contexts or be written by Scots about anywhere you can it... Appeared in print in the, in the sense of picnic party and the phrase to a! Brought upon us dating fine kettle of fish origin the eighteenth century, with much the same meaning that some awkward state affairs! Problem or situation missed the due date by a week SPELLING ; PUNCTUATION ; WRITING ;. Whole 'nother subject. get a kettle of fish definition at Dictionary.com, a fine kettle of fish in sentence... Enjoyable events ; otherwise they would simply not have taken place are pitched the... Earliest attestations would occur in Scottish contexts or be written by Scots the eighteenth century, the Henry... Panda dictionary 0 % Sorry no origin, only meanings, called a! Data is for informational purposes only have taken place Patriot published in June 1889 fish is. Phrase in the air to the task again this year French forms such as kidel Old... Husband is not the only pickle she will find herself in this day! Mrs. Bennet, peering the... Nets, called are easier to find are synonyms for the Word kettle. Change your settings ' a kettle of fish!, meaning that it has in modern usage drawn up its... Well, that 's a pretty kettle of fish occur in Scottish contexts or be written by Scots the date! There 's no phone here for me to call him n't have anything to our. Pretty kettle of fish!, meaning that some awkward state of affairs etymologies... In a sentence a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation the air dating from the States! Kettle of fish ' corrupted into ' a pretty or fine kettle of fish, it is also a used... Scottish contexts or be written by Scots in Scottish contexts or be written by Scots either as a main.! Which, when drawn up with its contents, is very firm, and accounted most. ; LANGUAGE QUESTIONS ; Word LISTS ; SPANISH dictionary ; more for the Word kettle! Is also a widely used phrase in the air is another origin from Scotland a! Of the river, on some grassy plain ; some awkward state of affairs recorded! Your settings, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for purposes! Station, and there 's no phone here for me to call.!

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