fish for something

fish for something
fish for something
1. Lit. to try to catch a particular kind of fish. •

We are fishing for cod today, but we'll take whatever we get.

We will fish for perch from the riverbank.

2.Fig. to seek some kind of information. •

You could tell the lawyer was fishing for something from the vague way she asked the questions.

The telephone caller was fishing for too much information, so I hung up.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • fish for something — ˈfish for sth derived to try to get sth, or to find out sth, although you are pretending not to • to fish for compliments/information Main entry: ↑fishderived …   Useful english dictionary

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  • fish for — {v.}, {informal} To try to get or to find out (something), by hinting or by a roundabout way to try to lead someone else to give or tell you what you want by hinting. * /Jerry was always fishing for an invitation to Bob s house./ * /Near… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fish for — {v.}, {informal} To try to get or to find out (something), by hinting or by a roundabout way to try to lead someone else to give or tell you what you want by hinting. * /Jerry was always fishing for an invitation to Bob s house./ * /Near… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fish for — try to get or to find out (something) by hinting at it She is always fishing for compliments when I see her at work …   Idioms and examples

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  • fish — fish1 [ fıʃ ] (plural fish or fish|es) noun *** 1. ) count 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 ocean and freshwater fish live in rivers and… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • fish — fish1 W1S2 [fıʃ] n plural fish or fishes [: Old English; Origin: fisc; related to Pisces] 1.) an animal that lives in water, and uses its ↑fins and tail to swim ▪ Ronny caught three huge fish this afternoon. ▪ Over 1,500 different specie …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • fish — 1 /fIS/ noun plural fish or fishes (C) 1 an animal that lives in water, and uses its fins (1) and tail to swim: The lake is well stocked with fish. | catch a fish: Ronny caught three huge fish this afternoon. 2 (U) the flesh of a fish used as… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • fish — fishless, adj. /fish/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) fish, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) fishes, v. n. 1. any of various cold blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with …   Universalium

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