frying pan

noun

1. a shallow, long-handled pan in which food is fried.

frying pan

noun

1. a long-handled shallow pan used for frying
2. out of the frying pan into the fire
   from a bad situation to a worse one

Word History and Origins

Origin of frying pan¹

1350–1400; Middle English fryinge panne

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out of the frying pan into the fire, free of one predicament but immediately in a worse one.

Example Sentences

“It’s a huge part of me and my character and who I am. However, playing part of that ongoing story for all of those years, it kind of never ends; you’re out of the frying pan, into the fire, back and forth, the whole time. Playing a story where you read the whole script and you know how it ends, it’s really satisfying.”

From Los Angeles Times

Yes, Augusztiny acknowledged, lawns have appeal, but not in his West Valley neighborhood where “concrete is the equivalent of a frying pan,” and sustaining thirsty turf in triple-digit heat is impossible.

From Los Angeles Times

Back in the day, they used to sell it piece by piece, door to door, and this week, you bought the sauce pot, and next week you bought the frying pan because all people could afford was one at a time.

From Los Angeles Times

Imagine placing your hand on a frying pan as it warms up over the stove.

From Slate

Now imagine instead of a frying pan, it was the floor beneath you.

From Slate

Related Words

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