fished

6 definitions • 9 examples

past simple and past participle of

to try to find something, using your fingers to look for it:

fish in something for something She fished in her tool box for the right screwdriver.

to try to get something, without asking directly:

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).

in sports such as cricket and baseball, to try to hit a ball that is a long way from the target:

Our captain was caught by the wicketkeeper while fishing outside the off stump.

to catch fish from a river, sea, lake, etc., or to try to do this:

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.

If an area of water has been fished out, all or most of the fish in it have been caught:

There's no point going to an area that's fished out.