1. Home
2. Idioms
3. out of the frying pan into the fire

out of the frying pan into the fire

---

---

*out of the frying pan (and) into the fire

Fig. from a bad situation to a worse situation. (*Typically: get ~; go ~; jump ~.) When I tried to argue about my fine for a traffic violation, the judge charged me with contempt of court. I really went out of the frying pan into the fire. I got deeply in debt. Then I really got out of the frying pan into the fire when I lost my job.

See also: fire, fry, of, out, pan

out of the frying pan into the fire

From a bad situation to one that is much worse. For example, After Karen quit the first law firm she went to one with even longer hours-out of the frying pan into the fire . This expression, a proverb in many languages, was first recorded in English in 1528.

See also: fire, fry, of, out, pan