open a can of worms—create a situation that will cause much trouble or scandal:
- The investigation into how these expensive trips were paid for opened a can of worms.
Cf.: open a whole new can of worms—expose a lot of new serious problems:
- They aren’t saying that it is immutable, but that if you start changing it you open a whole new can of worms.
open up a can of whoop-ass—(U.S. sl., usually used as a threat) punish or hurt smb. verbally or physically:
- Well, don’t make me worry ever again or I’ll open up a can of whoop ass!