General
can of worms
What does can of worms mean?
A situation that, once started, creates many new complications.
"Reopening the contract terms is a can of worms."
Origin
American idiom from a literal can of fishing worms.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'can of worms' mean?
It's a messy, complicated situation that spawns many new problems once you get into it.
How is it usually phrased?
Commonly as 'open a can of worms', e.g. 'Auditing every invoice would open a can of worms.'
Where does it come from?
From the literal image of a can of live fishing worms that all wriggle out and become hard to contain once opened.
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