fish
/fɪʃ/ verb B1- To hunt fish or other aquatic animals in a body of water, or to collect coral or pearls from the bottom of the sea. · We went fishing for crabs by the pier.· She went to the river to fish for trout.
- To search (a body of water) for something other than fish. · They fished the surrounding lakes for the dead body.
- To use as bait when fishing.
- To (attempt to) find or get hold of an object by searching among other objects. · Why are you fishing through my things?· He was fishing for the keys in his pocket.
- To talk to people in an attempt to get them to say something, or seek to obtain something by artifice. · The detective visited the local pubs fishing around for more information.· The actors loitered at the door, fishing for compliments.
- Of a batsman, to attempt to hit a ball outside off stump and miss it.
- To repair (a spar or mast) by fastening a beam or other long object (often called a fish) over the damaged part (see Noun above).
- To hoist the flukes of.
He/she/it fishes · Past fished · Past participle fished · -ing form fishing
Verb forms
- Base form
- fish
- He/she/it
- fishes
- Past
- fished
- Past participle
- fished
- -ing form
- fishing
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
Then suddenly he hauled something in as a fisherman lands a fish—some large, round object which obscured the light as it was dragged through the open casement.
Picture to yourself the pilot fish with the shark, the jackal with the lion—anything that is insignificant in companionship with what is formidable: not only formidable, Watson, but sinister—in the highest degree sinister.
The latter seemed to have resigned himself; he drew the corks, and partook largely of the fish with the garlic and fat.
When they had dragged the nets to the shore they found but few fish: the nets were full of sand and stones, and the men were beyond measure cast down so much at the disappointment which had befallen them, but because they had formed such very different expectations.
Other matches
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