A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

there is nothing for it • there is nothing in it •
there is nothing to it
there is nothing for it—there is no other choice but to take
a particular action: There was nothing for it now except to go
straight ahead with the plan.
there is nothing in it—
1
. there is no significant difference
between the people or things in question: The choice lies
between Jones and Evans, and as far as their respective qual-
ifications go, there’s nothing in it. 2. (of a story, accusation,
etc.) it is not true: There is nothing in it; the whole story is
an absolute invention.
there is nothing to it—
1
. it is very easy (of smth. that seems to
demand skill): I’ll teach Jenny how to ride a bicycle. There’s
nothing to it. 2. = there is nothing in it 2: If he’s guilty I’ll
hound him out of baseball. But I’ve got to know first, and I’m
betting there’s nothing to it.
thick as herrings • thin as a herring
thick as herrings —said of a great number of people, espe-
cially when crammed in a small area (also: thick as hops): Our
position was in the center, on which the natives most politely
avoided any sort of crowding, although behind they were
packed as thick as herrings.
Note: 
a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with
the phrase thick as thieves—(also: thick as peas in a shell) used
of people who are intimate or very friendly (often showing dis-
approval): Right from the start it was obvious they were as
“thick as thieves,” one always keeping an eye on the other.
b) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase
thick as hail
—(of darts, bullets, etc.) following each other in
quick succession: The English archers poured upon them their
deadly arrows in flights thick as hail.
c) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase