2007-07-15 21:29:10 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ China
By opening a (an imaginary) can of worms you are creating a mess that will be almost impossible to clear up quietly. Imagine trying to get all the wriggling worms back in the can. As soon as you get one handful back in some others have escaped & sooner or later there will be trouble & at the very least you will not enjoy the clean up process.
Likewise with a problem or line of questioning for example, by opening a can of worms you have started something that might be very difficult to stop and might easily lead to information that is more harm to your position than good.
2007-07-15 22:36:29 · answer #1 · answered by Tim 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "can of worms" is a complex problem or mess.
So if someone's "opened a can of worms," they've just complicated a previously simple situation.
2007-07-15 21:41:06 · answer #2 · answered by ccf4980 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A can of worms is a contained problem. Open it and it all comes out!
2007-07-16 14:59:54 · answer #3 · answered by Texas Cowboy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means that someone has said something which they should have kept to themselves, like for eaxmple..if someone let it slip, that they knew a friend was having an affair or something.. or in an argument,. if you said something that was a personal attack on someone ( something that was between the two of you-like a personal matter) then that is also opening a can of worms..because you should 'have kept a lid on it' by keeping quiet about it
2007-07-15 22:13:50 · answer #4 · answered by lone wolf and pub 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
'open a can of worms' is American slang for 'bringing up a topic that is controversial'.
2007-07-16 03:15:34 · answer #5 · answered by BillParkhurst 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋