26984 words

fish

10 definitions • 18 examples
1
an animal that lives in water, is covered with scales, and breathes by taking water in through its mouth, or the flesh of these animals eaten as food:

Examples:

Several large fish live in the pond.
catch a fish Sanjay caught the biggest fish I've ever seen.
I don't like fish (= don't like to eat fish).
2
a strange person:

Examples:

He's a bit of an odd fish, but I think he's basically sound.
3
to try to find something, using your fingers to look for it:

Examples:

fish in something for something She fished in her tool box for the right screwdriver.
4
to try to get something, without asking directly:

Examples:

She was always fishing, hoping I'd say something about Sarah.
fish for The director was fishing for information about our strategy.
fish for compliments He's always fishing for compliments (= trying to make people say good things about him).
5
in sports such as cricket and baseball, to try to hit a ball that is a long way from the target:

Examples:

Our captain was caught by the wicketkeeper while fishing outside the off stump.
6
to catch fish from a river, sea, lake, etc., or to try to do this:

Examples:

go fishing My dad loves to go fishing.
fish for They're fishing for tuna.
The sea here has been fished intensely over the last ten years.
7
If an area of water has been fished out, all or most of the fish in it have been caught:

Examples:

There's no point going to an area that's fished out.
8
an animal without legs that lives in water, has a soft outer body, uses its tail and fins to help it swim, and takes in oxygen from the water:

Examples:

[ C ] How many fish live in the pond?
[ U ] We had fish for dinner.
9
to to try to get something:

Examples:

Chimpanzees use grass to fish around in termite nests.
We're trying to fish for some answers.
10
to try to catch fish:

Examples:

We were fishing for tuna.

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