fish

I UK [fɪʃ] / US noun
Word forms "fish":
singular fish plural fish or fishes
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1) [countable] an animal that lives in water and swims. It breathes by using its gills and moves by using its tail and fins. Saltwater fish live in the sea and freshwater fish live in rivers and lakes

Little silver fish swam past.

Did you catch any fish?

Kenny keeps tropical fish.

2) [uncountable] fish eaten as food. Fish and other sea animals such as shrimps are called seafood.

•

have bigger/other fish to fry — to have more important things to do or think about

- a big fish in a small pond

- a cold fish

- drink like a fish

- a fish out of water

- neither fish nor fowl

- there are plenty more fish in the sea

See:

kettle

II UK [fɪʃ] / US verb
Word forms "fish":
present tense I/you/we/they fish he/she/it fishes present participle fishing past tense fished past participle fished
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1)

a) [intransitive] to try to catch fish, for example using a net or a fishing rod

The ship was not permitted to fish in Canadian waters.

fish for:

The boys were fishing for trout.

go fishing:

Les goes fishing almost every weekend.

b) [transitive] to catch fish in a particular area of water

Many boats fish these waters.

2) [intransitive] to try to find something by feeling inside a bag, a box etc

fish for:

She stopped and fished for her door key.

fish around:

Matthew started fishing around in a pile of papers.

3) [intransitive] to try to make someone tell you something, without asking them directly

Stephen was fishing, but I didn't tell him anything.

fish for:

"Having trouble?" he asked casually, fishing for information.

fish for compliments:

When I said I was overweight, I wasn't fishing for compliments.

Phrasal verbs:

- fish out