I. fish 1 S1 W1 /fɪʃ/ BrE AmE noun ( plural fish or fishes )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ fish , ↑ fishing , ↑ fishery ; verb : ↑ fish ; adverb : fishily; adjective : ↑ fishy ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: fisc ; related to Pisces ]
1 . [countable] an animal that lives in water, and uses its ↑ fin s and tail to swim:
Over 1,500 different species of fish inhabit the waters around the reef.
The stonefish is the most deadly of all fishes.
The lake is well stocked with fish (=it contains a lot of fish) .
2 . [uncountable] the flesh of a fish used as food ⇨ seafood :
You usually drink white wine with fish.
In Japan, people eat raw fish.
Oily fish (=fish that contains a lot of oil) is supposed to be good for you.
► You say fish and chips , not 'chips and fish'.
3 . (be/feel) like a fish out of water to feel uncomfortable because you feel you do not belong in a place or situation:
I felt like a fish out of water in my new school.
4 . there are plenty more fish in the sea used to tell someone whose relationship has ended that there are other people they can have a relationship with
5 . neither fish nor fowl neither one thing nor another
6 . have other/bigger fish to fry informal to have other things to do, especially more important things
7 . odd fish/queer fish British English old-fashioned someone who is slightly strange or crazy
8 . cold fish an unfriendly person who seems to have no strong feelings
9 . a big fish in a little/small pond someone who is important in or who has influence over a very small area
⇨ drink like a fish at ↑ drink 1 (2), ⇨ another/a different kettle of fish at ↑ kettle (3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + fish
▪ freshwater fish (=that live in rivers or lakes)
The pools are home to frogs, newts, and freshwater fish.
▪ saltwater fish (=that live in the ocean)
saltwater fish such as cod and tuna
▪ river/sea fish
Pike are river fish.
▪ tropical fish
a tank full of tropical fish
▪ farmed fish (=fish that are from a fish farm)
We also know that farmed fish don’t have as much omega 3 as wild salmon.
■ verbs
▪ catch/land a fish
Pete caught a really big fish.
▪ breed fish
He has been breeding tropical fish for many years.
▪ keep fish (=have them as pets or for breeding)
We used to keep tropical fish when I was young.
▪ fillet a fish (=cut the meat away from the bones)
You need a sharp knife to fillet fish.
▪ a fish swims
Red fish swam on either side of the boat.
▪ a fish bites (=it takes food from a hook and gets caught)
The fish aren’t biting today.
■ fish + NOUN
▪ fish stocks (=the quantity of fish in the sea)
Fish stocks have declined dramatically.
▪ fish species ( also species of fish ) (=the group of fish that are similar and can breed together)
74 of California's 113 native fish species are in need of protection.
▪ a fish tank (=for keeping fish indoors, usually as pets)
The filter in his fish tank made a quiet humming noise.
▪ a fish pond (=for keeping fish outdoors, in a garden)
We’re thinking of building a fish pond in the back garden.
▪ fish food (=for feeding fish)
I sprinkled some fish food into the tank.
■ phrases
▪ a shoal/school of fish (=a large group swimming together)
Shoals of little fish were swimming around her.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ fresh fish
The market sells an amazing variety of fresh fish.
▪ frozen fish (=stored at a very low temperature to preserve it)
I stopped at the supermarket to buy some frozen fish.
▪ white fish (=whose meat is white when cooked)
grilled white fish
▪ oily fish (=containing a lot of natural oil)
A diet of oily fish can help prevent heart disease.
▪ fried fish (=cooked in hot oil)
We’re going to have fried fish tonight.
▪ steamed/poached fish (=cooked over boiling water)
The kitchen smelt of steamed fish.
▪ baked fish (=cooked in an oven)
Serve the baked fish with slices of lemon.
▪ battered fish (=covered in a mixture of flour and water, and then fried)
The restaurant is well-known for its battered fish dishes.
▪ raw fish (=not cooked)
In Japan we like to eat raw fish.
▪ smoked fish (=left in smoke to give it a special taste)
It was the finest smoked fish they had ever tasted.
▪ dried fish (=preserved by having the water removed)
Occasionally, the guards gave us some vegetables and dried fish.
▪ salted fish (=preserved by adding salt)
The dish is made with rice and salted fish.
■ verbs
▪ eat fish
You should eat more fish.
▪ cook fish
I think I’ll cook fish tonight.
■ fish + NOUN
▪ a fish shop
She works in the fish shop on the High Street.
▪ a fish market
I brought some salmon at the local fish market.
▪ fish soup
Use the bones to make fish soup.
▪ fish paste (=a smooth food, made by crushing fish )
She spread some fish paste on fresh bread.
■ phrases
▪ fish and chips
Why don't we stop off for some fish and chips on the way home?
II. fish 2 S3 BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ fish , ↑ fishing , ↑ fishery ; verb : ↑ fish ; adverb : fishily; adjective : ↑ fishy ]
1 . [intransitive] to try to catch fish ⇨ fishing :
Dad really loves to fish.
fish for
a Japanese vessel fishing for tuna in the Eastern Pacific
2 . [intransitive always +adverb/preposition] informal to search for something in a bag, pocket etc
fish about/around
She fished around in her purse and pulled out a photo.
fish for
Chris fished in his pocket for a coin.
3 . [transitive] to try to catch fish in a particular area of water ⇨ fishing :
Other nations are forbidden to fish the waters within 200 miles of the coast.
4 . fish for compliments to try to make someone say something nice about you, usually by first criticizing yourself – used to show disapproval:
It’s sickening the way he’s always fishing for compliments.
5 . [intransitive] to try to find out information, without asking directly:
‘Are you here with your wife?’ she asked, fishing.
fish somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
a) to pull someone or something out of water
fish somebody/something ↔ out of
The body was fished out of the East River a week later.
b) to find something after searching through a bag, pocket etc, and take it out
fish somebody/something ↔ out of
Eric fished a peppermint out of the bag.