a can of worms

0.01 sec.

a can of worms (informal)

a situation which causes a lot of trouble for you when you start to deal with it Quite what we do with all the waste generated by this industry is another can of worms. Once you start making concessions to individual members of staff, you really open up a can of worms. (= cause a lot of trouble for yourself)

See also: can, Worms

Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.

?Page tools

Printer friendly
Cite / link

Feedback

References in periodicals archive	?		Idioms browser	?		Full browser	?
You might not be grateful for a can of worms as a present, but a farmer with poor soil in Bolivia certainly would. A flock of goats and a few cans of worms by Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England) When I was little I always went to my grandmother's house to rummage through her compost pile and bring a can of worms home for my room, who accepted them gratefully and later dumped them in her flower garden. The basics of vermiculture by Lewis, Andrew / Countryside & Small Stock Journal			a bone of contention a bone to pick with a bossy boots a bottomless pit a brain box a brain drain a brain trust a breath of fresh air a bright spark a bright spot a broad church a Bronx cheer a bucks party a bully pulpit a bum rap a bum steer a bumpy ride a bundle of joy A burnt child dreads the fire a busman's holiday a buzz word a C-note a call girl a calling card a camp follower a can of worms a carbon copy a carrot and stick a carrot-top a case in point a cash cow a cattle market a cause célêbre a change of heart a change of pace a charley horse a cheap shot a chef d'oeuvre a chicken and egg situation a chink in armour a chinless wonder a chip off the old block a chip on shoulder a chunk of change a clarion call a clean bill of health a clean break a clean sheet a clean slate a clean sweep a clever clogs			a bundle of laughs a bundle of laughs a bundle of laughs a bundle of laughs a bundle of laughs a bundle of nerves a bundle of nerves a bundle of nerves a bundle of nerves A burnt child dreads the fire a burr under saddle a burr under saddle a burr under saddle A bursary A Business Community A Business Knowledge Organization a busman's holiday A butt's length a buzz word A c A c A c a C-note A Caenorhabditis Elegans Database A Call for Accountability a call girl A Call to Duty A Call to Duty Roleplaying a calling card a camp follower a can of worms a Canis Majoris a Canis Minoris A Canticle for Leibowitz A capela A capela A capella A capella a capella singing A capful of wind A cappela A cappela a cappella a cappella a cappella a cappella singing A cappellas A cappellas A car A car a carbon copy a card up sleeve a card up sleeve a card up sleeve A Carinae A Carnegie A Carnegie A Carotid Stenting Trial for High-Risk Surgical Patients A Carotid Stenting Trial for High-Risk Surgical Patients A Carotid Stenting Trial for High-Risk Surgical Patients A Carotid Stenting Trial for High-Risk Surgical Patients

Idioms and phrases

Free Tools:	For surfers: Free toolbar & extensions \| Word of the Day \| Help For webmasters: Free content \| Linking \| Lookup box \| Double-click lookup

Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.