PhrasesHub

Has bigger fish to fry

    Definitions

      • prioritize
        To have more important or pressing matters to attend to

      • dismissiveness
        To indicate that a person is not interested in or concerned about a particular issue or situation

    Examples of Has bigger fish to fry

    • The CEO of the company had bigger fish to fry in an important meeting with a potential investor, so she asked her assistant to handle the crisis with the supplier.

      This idiom is used when someone has more important or urgent tasks to attend to, so they have to prioritize those tasks over less critical ones. In this example, the CEO's high-priority task is the meeting with the potential investor, so she defers the less critical issue with the supplier to her assistant.

    • The politician had bigger fish to fry in the upcoming election campaign, so he did not attend the charity event despite being invited.

      This idiom is often used in political contexts when a politician has to choose between competing demands on their time. In this example, the politician's priority is his election campaign, so he has to skip the less critical charity event.

    • The project manager had bigger fish to fry in terms of meeting the project deadline, so she delegated the task of ordering office supplies to her team.

      This idiom is commonly used in project management contexts to signify that a manager has to prioritize critical tasks over less critical ones. In this example, the project manager's urgent task is meeting the project deadline, so she defers the less critical task of ordering office supplies to her team.

    • The athletes had bigger fish to fry in the upcoming showdown against their biggest rivals, so they focused all their energy and preparation on that match rather than worrying about their upcoming friendly match.

      This idiom is commonly used in sports contexts when athletes have to make priority decisions about their training and preparation. In this example, the athletes' primary focus is the upcoming showdown against their biggest rivals, so they prioritize their preparation for that match over their preparation for the less critical friendly match.

    • The CEO of Acme Inc. Has bigger fish to fry than attending the annual company picnic.

      This example shows that the CEO's priorities lie elsewhere, and there are more important tasks that demand his attention than attending the company picnic.

    • Although Emily loves baking, she has bigger fish to fry today as she has a presentation at school.

      Here, the idiom is used to show that Emily's immediate focus lies on her presentation rather than indulging in her hobby.

    • The detective had bigger fish to fry and left the scene of the minor accident, much to the frustration of the witnesses.

      This example highlights the detective's preference of dealing with more significant matters over handling trivial ones.

    • Despite having spent all night partying, Jane has bigger fish to fry this morning as she has an important job interview.

      The idiom used here stresses that Jane's imperative agenda is the job interview, and partying is not her primary concern at present.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "has bigger fish to fry" is used to convey the idea of having more important things to do or not being interested in a particular situation. It can be used to prioritize tasks or to dismiss something as unimportant.

    In the first meaning, the idiom is used to convey that there are more pressing matters that require attention. For example, "I can't deal with this minor issue right now, I have bigger fish to fry."

    In the second meaning, the idiom is used to show a lack of interest or concern about something. For instance, "I have bigger fish to fry than to worry about what they think of me."

    Overall, the idiom is used to emphasize the importance of other matters or to express disinterest in something.

    Origin of "Has bigger fish to fry"

    The origin of the idiom "has bigger fish to fry" can be traced back to the practice of fishing. The idiom likely originated from the idea that catching larger fish is more important than catching smaller ones. In this context, "bigger fish" represents more important or valuable matters that require attention.

    The phrase has been used in English since at least the 17th century, and it has continued to be a popular idiom in the language. Over time, it has evolved to convey the idea of having more important things to do or being uninterested in a particular issue. Today, it is commonly used in both formal and informal settings to prioritize tasks or to dismiss unimportant matters.