fish
♦♦ fish /f'ɪʃ/ (fishor fishes fishes fishing fished)
The form fish is usually used for the plural, but fishes can also be used.
1 [N-COUNT]
A fish is a creature that lives in water and has a tail and fins. There are many different kinds of fish.
I was chatting to an islander who had just caught a fish...
The fish were counted and an average weight recorded.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Fish is the flesh of a fish eaten as food.
Does dry white wine go best with fish?
3 [VERB] V
If you fish, you try to catch fish, either for food or as a form of sport or recreation.
Brian remembers learning to fish in the River Cam.
4 [VERB] V n
If you fish a particular area of water, you try to catch fish in it.
On Saturday we fished the River Arno.
5 [VERB] V for n, V
If you say that someone is fishing for information or praise, you disapprove of the fact that they are trying to get it from someone in an indirect way.
He didn't want to create the impression that he was fishing for information...
`Lucinda, you don't have to talk to him!' Mike shouted. `He's just fishing.'
= angle
6
see also fishing
7 [PHRASE]
If you tell someone that there are plenty more fish in the sea, you are comforting them by saying that although their relationship with someone has failed, there are many other people they can have relationships with. (INFORMAL)big fish (big fish)
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a big fish, you believe that they are powerful or important in some way. (INFORMAL)
The four men arrested were described as really big fish by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
≠ small fry
2 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that someone is a big fish in a small pond, you mean that they are powerful or important but only within a small group of people. (INFORMAL)
In South Africa, Jani was a big fish in a small pond.cold fish
[N-SING]
If you say that someone is a cold fish, you think that they are unfriendly and unemotional.fish and chip shop (fish and chip shops)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a fish and chip shop is a shop which sells hot food such as fish and chips, fried chicken, sausages, and meat pies. The food is cooked in the shop and people take it away to eat at home or in the street.
= chippyfish cake (fish cakes)
also fishcake
[N-COUNT]
A fish cake is a mixture of fish and potato that is made into a flat round shape, covered in breadcrumbs, and fried.fish fin|ger (fish fingers)
also fishfinger
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Fish fingers are small long pieces of fish covered in breadcrumbs. They are usually sold in frozen form. (mainly BRIT)fish knife (fish knives)
[N-COUNT]
A fish knife is a knife that you use when you eat fish. It has a wide flat blade and does not have a sharp edge.fish out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you fish something out from somewhere, you take or pull it out, often after searching for it for some time. (INFORMAL)
She fished out a pair of David's socks for her cold feet.fish slice (fish slices)
also fish-slice
[N-COUNT]
A fish slice is a kitchen tool which consists of a flat part with narrow holes in it attached to a handle. It is used for turning or serving fish or other food that is cooked in a frying pan. (BRIT; in AM, use spatula)fly|ing fish (flying fishor flying fishes)
[N-VAR]
Flying fish are a type of fish that live in warm seas. They have large fins that enable them to move forward in the air when they jump out of the water.
The form fish is usually used for the plural, but fishes can also be used.
1 [N-COUNT]
A fish is a creature that lives in water and has a tail and fins. There are many different kinds of fish.
I was chatting to an islander who had just caught a fish...
The fish were counted and an average weight recorded.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Fish is the flesh of a fish eaten as food.
Does dry white wine go best with fish?
3 [VERB] V
If you fish, you try to catch fish, either for food or as a form of sport or recreation.
Brian remembers learning to fish in the River Cam.
4 [VERB] V n
If you fish a particular area of water, you try to catch fish in it.
On Saturday we fished the River Arno.
5 [VERB] V for n, V
If you say that someone is fishing for information or praise, you disapprove of the fact that they are trying to get it from someone in an indirect way.
He didn't want to create the impression that he was fishing for information...
`Lucinda, you don't have to talk to him!' Mike shouted. `He's just fishing.'
= angle
6
see also fishing
7 [PHRASE]
If you tell someone that there are plenty more fish in the sea, you are comforting them by saying that although their relationship with someone has failed, there are many other people they can have relationships with. (INFORMAL)big fish (big fish)
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a big fish, you believe that they are powerful or important in some way. (INFORMAL)
The four men arrested were described as really big fish by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
≠ small fry
2 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you say that someone is a big fish in a small pond, you mean that they are powerful or important but only within a small group of people. (INFORMAL)
In South Africa, Jani was a big fish in a small pond.cold fish
[N-SING]
If you say that someone is a cold fish, you think that they are unfriendly and unemotional.fish and chip shop (fish and chip shops)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a fish and chip shop is a shop which sells hot food such as fish and chips, fried chicken, sausages, and meat pies. The food is cooked in the shop and people take it away to eat at home or in the street.
= chippyfish cake (fish cakes)
also fishcake
[N-COUNT]
A fish cake is a mixture of fish and potato that is made into a flat round shape, covered in breadcrumbs, and fried.fish fin|ger (fish fingers)
also fishfinger
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Fish fingers are small long pieces of fish covered in breadcrumbs. They are usually sold in frozen form. (mainly BRIT)fish knife (fish knives)
[N-COUNT]
A fish knife is a knife that you use when you eat fish. It has a wide flat blade and does not have a sharp edge.fish out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you fish something out from somewhere, you take or pull it out, often after searching for it for some time. (INFORMAL)
She fished out a pair of David's socks for her cold feet.fish slice (fish slices)
also fish-slice
[N-COUNT]
A fish slice is a kitchen tool which consists of a flat part with narrow holes in it attached to a handle. It is used for turning or serving fish or other food that is cooked in a frying pan. (BRIT; in AM, use spatula)fly|ing fish (flying fishor flying fishes)
[N-VAR]
Flying fish are a type of fish that live in warm seas. They have large fins that enable them to move forward in the air when they jump out of the water.