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“Fine kettle of fish” is an English idiom meaning a difficult or chaotic situation. Its origin is unclear, but it may have come from a northern English tradition of cooking fish in a large cauldron. Other idioms with similar meanings include “nice pickle” and “nice how’s it go.”
“Fine kettle of fish” is an idiomatic English expression describing a difficult situation or a confusing and chaotic state of affairs. It first appeared in print in the 18th century, with much the same meaning it has in modern usage. While the exact analogy underlying the expression is unclear, its longevity as a common saying is testament to its enduring popularity. The term appeared as the title of an 18th film, a 2006 record and a large number of seafood restaurants.
The first recorded use of the phrase “a nice pair of sleeves” in this sense occurs in Book 1 of The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews, published in 1742, followed by a use in another novel by the same writer, Henry Fielding . In The History of Tom Jones, published in 1749, Fielding uses the expression “a rare pair of fish”. In both cases, the meaning is essentially the modern meaning of the expression: an awkward, difficult situation. Neither usage suggests that the expression is notable or unusual in any way, so it could be that these represent the first published use of an expression that was already common in everyday British speech. It may also be that Fielding, one of the most popular and influential writers of the 18th century, was responsible for popularizing the use of the saying.
It is unclear exactly why and how “kettle of fish” came to mean a predicament. 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”. A mid-18th-century source relates that in northern England a “fish kettle” was a type of cook-out meal in which the host cooked salmon in a large cauldron. The term referred to the feast where fish was served and the method of cooking the fish. The idiom may refer to the messy appearance of a cauldron filled with boiling water and disintegrating fish, or to the character and events of these festivals themselves.
“Kettle of fish” is one of several expressions that describe a difficult or confusing situation, many of which have no obvious relation to the subject. Other examples include “nice pickle” and “nice how’s it go.” “Bloody Pie,” popularized by comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, is a more literal representation of the same concept.
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