You're opening a can of worms here.

[angliholic]

You're opening a can of worms here.


What does the above try to convey? Is it you're arousing/stirring/causing a world of troubles? Thanks.

[Ouisch]

Yes. It means that you could possibly cause bigger and more serious problems than you'd planned on by doing or asking X.

[Naamplao]

You're opening a can of worms here.


What does the above try to convey? Is it you're arousing/stirring/causing a world of troubles? Thanks.

It means that you are starting something or investigating something that will become very uncomfortable or nasty if completed.

For example:

Let us say someone with a terrible terminal disease died. On the surface it seemed as though it was a death by natural causes. But you decided to look closer into the death. You may find out that the death was assisted suicide. The patient was helped to die by a relative that was following out the wishes of the patient. The relative helped to end his friend's life because he loved the person and could not stand the persons pleas to end his suffering.

By revealing the cause of death as assisted suicide you create all kinds of emotional and legal problems for the relative and perhaps strife within the family who believe suicide is a sin. You have opened a can of worms...

[angliholic]

Thanks, Ouisch and Naamplao, for the clear explanation and examples.