What happens when you open a can of worms?
What happens when you open a can of worms?
: to create a complicated situation in which doing something to correct a problem leads to many more problems Our boss is reluctant to change the policy now because she doesn’t want to open a can of worms.
Where did the expression open a can of worms come from?
The exact origin of the phrase is not completely known, but general consensus traces it back to the 1950s in the United States and literal cans of worms. Fisherman used to buy sealed metal cans of earthworms, as opposed to the plastic containers or Styrofoam cups of today.
Can of worms Pandora’s box?
What’s the difference between Pandora’s box and a can of worms? In Greek myth, the contents of the fateful box belonging to Pandora (literally, “all gifts” in ancient Greek) were a mystery. With a can of worms, on the other hand, you know the kind of tangled, unpleasant mess you’re in for.
IS can of worms a metaphor?
Metaphorically speaking, to open a can of worms is to examine or attempt to solve some problem, only to inadvertently complicate it and create even more trouble. Literally speaking, opening a can of worms, as most fishermen can attest, can also mean more trouble than you bargained for.
Why should you not open Pandora’s box?
Don’t open the Pandora’s box means don’t let your unwise action or decision generate more complicated problems you did not expect. “Declaring Martial Law has opened up a Pandora’s box of more social and political problems.”
How did the term “open a can of Worms” originate?
The origin of the phrase ‘open a can of worms’ is unknown. It might have something to do with fishing, since people buy and open cans of worms to use as bait. Indeed, if someone plans to go fishing, they probably will need some kind of bait to lure the fish in and worms can help with that. Besides worms, though, there are several kinds of bait that can be used.
What happens when you open can of Worms?
In this same sense, to open a can of worms means to release a host of often irrevocable problems or complications. As long as the “can” remained sealed, there would be no harm. It is rarely a good thing to open a can of worms, although the damage control process could prove to be cathartic.
What does open up can of Worms mean?
Metaphorically speaking, to open a can of worms means to inadvertently create numerous new problems while trying to solve one. Experts disagree on the origin of the phrase, but it is generally believed to be a Canadian or American metaphor coined sometime in the 1950s.
What is opening can of Worms?
To open a can of worms means to do something that will uncover more problems and make things more complicated and unsolvable than they already were; to create an unpleasant or troubling situation. 1Ammer, Christine.
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