Fish Idioms
Contents
Fish idioms are a unique and interesting aspect of the English language that can add color and depth to everyday conversation. These idioms are expressions that use fish-related words and phrases to convey a particular meaning or sentiment. They are often used in both formal and informal settings, and their popularity has only grown with time.
List of Fish Idioms
- (On a) Fishing Expedition
- A Cold Fish
- Big Fish
- Fish Out of Water
- Make Fish of One and Fowl of the Other
- Different Kettle of Fish
- All Is Fish That Comes To His Net
- Better Fish To Fry
- Big Fish In A Small Pond
- Cry Stinking Fish (UK)
- Drink Like A Fish
- Fish For A Compliment
- Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel
- Neither Fish Nor Fowl
- Teach A Man To Fish
- The Cat Would Eat Fish But Would Not Wet Her Feet
- What’s That Got To Do With The Price of Fish? (UK)
- A Fish Story
Fish Idioms with Meaning and Examples
List of fish idioms and expressions with meaning and example sentences.
(On a) Fishing Expedition
- Meaning: Looking for evidence without any solid suspicion of wrongdoing.
- Example: The detective was on a fishing expedition, hoping to find some clues that would help him solve the case.
A Cold Fish
- Meaning: Someone who is unemotional or unresponsive.
- Example: My boss is a cold fish, he never smiles or shows any emotion.
Big Fish
- Meaning: Someone who is important or influential.
- Example: The CEO of the company is a big fish, he makes all the important decisions.
Fish Out of Water
- Meaning: Someone who is in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable situation.
- Example: Being at the party made me feel like a fish out of water, I didn’t know anyone there.
Make Fish of One and Fowl of the Other
- Meaning: To create confusion or mix things up.
- Example: The new employee made fish of one and fowl of the other by getting all the files mixed up.
Different Kettle of Fish
- Meaning: Something that is completely different from what was previously discussed.
- Example: I thought we were talking about going to the beach, but now you’re talking about hiking? That’s a different kettle of fish.
All Is Fish That Comes To His Net
- Meaning: Someone who is successful at everything they do.
- Example: John is so lucky, everything he tries seems to work out for him. All is fish that comes to his net.
Better Fish To Fry
- Meaning: To have more important things to do.
- Example: I can’t come to the party tonight, I have better fish to fry.
Big Fish In A Small Pond
- Meaning: Someone who is important or influential in a small group or community.
- Example: He may be a big fish in a small pond, but he’s not well-known outside of his hometown.
Cry Stinking Fish (UK)
- Meaning: To criticize oneself or make derogatory remarks.
- Example: She’s always crying stinking fish, she needs to learn to be more confident.
Drink Like A Fish
- Meaning: To drink alcohol excessively.
- Example: He drank like a fish at the party last night and ended up getting sick.
Fish For A Compliment
- Meaning: To try to get someone to compliment you.
- Example: She’s always fishing for compliments, it’s really annoying.
Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel
- Meaning: Something that is very easy to do.
- Example: With all the resources we have, this project will be like shooting fish in a barrel.
Neither Fish Nor Fowl
- Meaning: Something that is hard to classify or define.
- Example: This new restaurant is neither fish nor fowl, I can’t tell if it’s a bar or a restaurant.
Teach A Man To Fish
- Meaning: To teach someone a skill that will benefit them for life.
- Example: Instead of just giving him money, I decided to teach him how to fish so he could support himself.
The Cat Would Eat Fish But Would Not Wet Her Feet
- Meaning: Someone who is very particular about doing things.
- Example: She’s so picky, the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet.
What’s That Got To Do With The Price of Fish? (UK)
- Meaning: To ask someone what something has to do with the current situation.
- Example: What’s that got to do with the price of fish? We’re talking about something completely different.
A Fish Story
- Meaning: A story that is exaggerated or untrue.
- Example: He told us a fish story about how he caught a huge fish, but we all know it’s not true.