frye (redirected from Frye, (Herman) Northrop)

*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, out, pan

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

to go from a bad situation to an even worse one Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

See also: fire, jump, out, pan

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out of the frying pan (into the fire)

from a bad situation to an even worse one Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan into the fire when they try to live on their own.

Usage notes: often used with jump, as in the example

See also: out, pan