fish

¹

[ fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) fish·es.

1. any of various cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with scales.
2. (loosely) any of various aquatic animals.
3. the flesh of fishes used as food.
4. Fishes, Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Pisces.
5. Informal. a person:

   an odd fish; a poor fish.

6. a long strip of wood, iron, etc., used to strengthen a mast, joint, etc.
7. Cards Slang. an incompetent player whose incompetence can be exploited.
8. Slang. a dollar:

   He sold the car for 500 fish.

9. Slang.
   1. a new prison inmate.
   2. a high school or college freshman; frosh.

verb (used with object)

1. to catch or attempt to catch (any species of fish or the like).
2. to try to catch fish in (a stream, lake, etc.):

   Let's fish the creek.

3. to draw, as by fishing (often followed by up or out ):

   He fished a coin out of his pocket for the boy.

4. to search through, as by fishing.
5. Nautical.
   1. to secure (an anchor) by raising the flukes.
   2. to reinforce (a mast or other spar) by fastening a spar, batten, metal bar, or the like, lengthwise over a weak place.

verb (used without object)

1. to catch or attempt to catch fish, as by angling or drawing a net.
2. to search carefully:

   He fished through all his pockets but his wallet was gone.

3. to seek to obtain something indirectly or by artifice:

   to fish for compliments; to fish for information.

4. to search for or attempt to catch onto something under water, in mud, etc., by the use of a dredge, rake, hook, or the like.
5. to attempt to recover detached tools or other loose objects from an oil or gas well.

verb phrase

1. to deplete (a lake, stream, etc.) of fish by fishing.

Fish

²

[ fish ]

noun

1. Hamilton, 1808–93, U.S. statesman: secretary of state 1869–77.

FISH

¹

/ fɪʃ /

acronym for

1. fluorescence in situ hybridization, a technique for detecting and locating gene mutations and chromosome abnormalities

fish

²

/ fɪʃ /

noun

1. 1. any of a large group of cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates having jaws, gills, and usually fins and a skin covered in scales: includes the sharks and rays (class Chondrichthyes : cartilaginous fishes ) and the teleosts, lungfish, etc (class Osteichthyes : bony fishes )
   2. ( in combination ) ichthyicichthyoidpiscine

      fishpond

2. any of various similar but jawless vertebrates, such as the hagfish and lamprey
3. not in technical use any of various aquatic invertebrates, such as the cuttlefish, jellyfish, and crayfish
4. the flesh of fish used as food
5. informal.
   a person of little emotion or intelligence

   a poor fish

6. short for fishplate
7. Also calledtin fish an informal word for torpedo
8. a fine kettle of fish
   an awkward situation; mess
9. drink like a fish
   to drink (esp alcohol) to excess
10. have other fish to fry
    to have other activities to do, esp more important ones
11. like a fish out of water
    out of one's usual place
12. make fish of one and flesh of another
    to discriminate unfairly between people
13. neither fish, flesh, nor fowl
    neither this nor that

verb

1. intr to attempt to catch fish, as with a line and hook or with nets, traps, etc
2. tr to fish in (a particular area of water)
3. to search (a body of water) for something or to search for something, esp in a body of water
4. intrfoll byfor to seek something indirectly

   to fish for compliments

fish

/ fĭsh /

, Plural fish

1. Any of numerous cold-blooded vertebrate animals that live in water. Fish have gills for obtaining oxygen, a lateral line for sensing pressure changes in the water, and a vertical tail. Most fish are covered with scales and have limbs in the form of fins. Fish were once classified together as a single group, but are now known to compose numerous evolutionarily distinct classes, including the bony fish, cartilaginous fish, jawless fish, lobe-finned fish, and placoderms .

Derived Forms

• ˈfishable, adjective
• ˈfishˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• fish·less adjective
• fish·like adjective
• out·fish verb (used with object)
• un·fished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fish¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English fis(c)h, fyssh, Old English fisc; cognate with Dutch vis, German Fisch, Old Norse fiskr, Gothic fisks; akin to Latin piscis, Irish iasc; (verb) Middle English fishen, Old English fiscian, cognate with Dutch visschen, German fischen, Old Norse fiska, Gothic fiskôn

Word History and Origins

Origin of fish¹

Old English fisc ; related to Old Norse fiskr , Gothic fiscs , Russian piskar , Latin piscis

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. drink like a fish, to drink alcoholic beverages to excess:

   Nobody invites him out because he drinks like a fish.

2. fish in troubled waters, to take advantage of troubled or uncertain conditions for personal profit.
3. fish or cut bait, to choose a definite course of action, especially to decide whether to participate in or retreat from an activity.
4. fish out of water, a person out of their proper or accustomed environment:

   He felt like a fish out of water in an academic atmosphere.

5. neither fish nor fowl, having no specific character or conviction; neither one nor the other.
6. other fish to fry, other matters requiring attention:

   When it was time to act, they had other fish to fry.

More idioms and phrases containing fish

• big fish in a small pond
• cold fish
• drink like a fish
• goldfish bowl
• kettle of fish
• like shooting fish in a barrel
• neither fish nor fowl
• not the only fish in the sea
• other fish to fry
• smell fishy

Example Sentences

Detectives enlisted the help of a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to review the three videos who agreed that it was clearly a human in a bear suit.

From Los Angeles Times

Since 2000, millions of people have splashed around in the waters off the California coast, but there have been only 127 shark incidents recorded by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

From Los Angeles Times

Michael Gonzalez said his office contacted a local humane society and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to report the creature.

From Los Angeles Times

“Any invasive species in our Delta is problematic, and we’re going to do everything we can to control its spread,” said Steve Gonzalez, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

From Los Angeles Times

The review of Robinson's Traditional Fish & Chips, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire, read: "Really hot food always great from Robinsons also hot delivery girl."

From BBC