Meaning
- to have other, more important things to do.
- to not be interested in something because there are more significant things to accomplish instead.
- It is used when there are other things to worry about than that person and their pettiness.
Examples in Sentences
- You are not worth my time or energy; I have bigger fish to fry.
- I do not have a lot of time to spend on this issue. I have bigger fish to fry.
- I asked Bob to help me out on this project, but he said he had bigger fish to fry right now.
- I'm afraid I had bigger fish to fry, so I didn't investigate it in great detail.
Origin
This idiom originated in the work "Memoirs" by John Evelyn in 1660. This saying originated in England. It was then used as "other fish to fry" and was mentioned by Peter Moteuix in his writings in the 1700s. It was then used by Cervantes in the novel Don Quixote. He was using the expression that he had heard in the 1700s, but some things go lost in translation. This novel is still read today, and people are still familiar with the expression of this idiom. There are many uses for this idiom. It can be used to show anger, humor, or even frustration.