Fish

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Fish, n. [F. fiche peg, mark, fr. fisher to fix.].

 A counter, used in various games.  [1913 Webster]

Fish, n. [OE. fisch, fisc, fis, AS. fisc; akin to D. visch, OS. & OHG. fisk, G. fisch, Icel. fiskr, Sw. & Dan. fisk, Goth. fisks, L. piscis, Ir. iasg. Cf. Piscatorial. In some cases, such as fish joint, fish plate, this word has prob. been confused with fish, fr. F. fichea peg.].

•  A name loosely applied in popular usage to many animals of diverse characteristics, living in the water.  [1913 Webster]
•  An oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. It breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water. See Pisces.  [1913 Webster]

  " The true fishes include the Teleostei (bony fishes), Ganoidei, Dipnoi, and Elasmobranchii or Selachians (sharks and skates). Formerly the leptocardia and Marsipobranciata were also included, but these are now generally regarded as two distinct classes, below the fishes."  [1913 Webster]
•  The twelfth sign of the zodiac; Pisces.  [1913 Webster]
•  The flesh of fish, used as food.  [1913 Webster]
•  A purchase used to fish the anchor.  [1913 Webster]

  " Fish is used adjectively or as part of a compound word; as, fish line, fish pole, fish spear, fish-bellied."  [1913 Webster]

Age of Fishes. See under Age, n., 8. -- Fish ball, fish (usually salted codfish) shared fine, mixed with mashed potato, and made into the form of a small, round cake. [U.S.] -- Fish bar. Same as Fish plate (below). -- Fish beam (Mech.), a beam one of whose sides (commonly the under one) swells out like the belly of a fish. Francis. -- Fish crow (Zoöl.), a species of crow (Corvus ossifragus), found on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It feeds largely on fish. -- Fish culture, the artifical breeding and rearing of fish; pisciculture. -- Fish davit. See Davit. -- Fish day, a day on which fish is eaten; a fast day. -- Fish duck (Zoöl.), any species of merganser. -- Fish fall, the tackle depending from the fish davit, used in hauling up the anchor to the gunwale of a ship. -- Fish garth, a dam or weir in a river for keeping fish or taking them easily. -- Fish glue. See Isinglass. -- Fish joint, a joint formed by a plate or pair of plates fastened upon two meeting beams, plates, etc., at their junction; -- used largely in connecting the rails of railroads. -- Fish kettle, a long kettle for boiling fish whole. -- Fish ladder, a dam with a series of steps which fish can leap in order to ascend falls in a river. -- Fish line, or Fishing line, a line made of twisted hair, silk, etc., used in angling. -- Fish louse (Zoöl.), any crustacean parasitic on fishes, esp. the parasitic Copepoda, belonging to Caligus, Argulus, and other related genera. See Branchiura. -- Fish maw (Zoöl.), the stomach of a fish; also, the air bladder, or sound. -- Fish meal, fish desiccated and ground fine, for use in soups, etc. -- Fish oil, oil obtained from the bodies of fish and marine animals, as whales, seals, sharks, from cods' livers, etc. -- Fish owl (Zoöl.), a fish-eating owl of the Old World genera Scotopelia and Ketupa, esp. a large East Indian species (K. Ceylonensis). -- Fish plate, one of the plates of a fish joint. -- Fish pot, a wicker basket, sunk, with a float attached, for catching crabs, lobsters, etc. -- Fish pound, a net attached to stakes, for entrapping and catching fish; a weir. [Local, U.S.] Bartlett. -- Fish slice, a broad knife for dividing fish at table; a fish trowel. -- Fish slide, an inclined box set in a stream at a small fall, or ripple, to catch fish descending the current. Knight. -- Fish sound, the air bladder of certain fishes, esp. those that are dried and used as food, or in the arts, as for the preparation of isinglass. -- Fish story, a story which taxes credulity; an extravagant or incredible narration. [Colloq. U.S.] Bartlett. -- Fish strainer. (a) A metal colander, with handles, for taking fish from a boiler. (b) A perforated earthenware slab at the bottom of a dish, to drain the water from a boiled fish. -- Fish trowel, a fish slice. -- Fish weir or Fish wear, a weir set in a stream, for catching fish. -- Neither fish nor flesh, Neither fish nor fowl (Fig.), neither one thing nor the other.

Fish, v. i. 

•  To attempt to catch fish; to be employed in taking fish, by any means, as by angling or drawing a net.  [1913 Webster]
•  To seek to obtain by artifice, or indirectly to seek to draw forth; as, to fish for compliments.  [1913 Webster]

  "Any other fishing question."  [1913 Webster]

Fish, v. t. [OE. fischen, fisken, fissen, AS. fiscian; akin to G. fischen, OHG. fiscn, Goth. fiskn. See Fish the animal.].

•  To catch; to draw out or up; as, to fish up an anchor.  [1913 Webster]
•  To search by raking or sweeping.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]
•  To try with a fishing rod; to catch fish in; as, to fish a stream.  Thackeray.  [1913 Webster]
•  To strengthen (a beam, mast, etc.), or unite end to end (two timbers, railroad rails, etc.) by bolting a plank, timber, or plate to the beam, mast, or timbers, lengthwise on one or both sides. See Fish joint, under Fish, n.  [1913 Webster]

To fish the anchor. (Naut.) See under Anchor.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Fish, n. & v.
--n. (pl. same or fishes)
1 a vertebrate cold-blooded animal with gills and fins living wholly in water.
2 any animal living wholly in water, e.g. cuttlefish, shellfish, jellyfish.
3 the flesh of fish as food.
4 colloq. a person remarkable in some way (usu. unfavourable) (an odd fish).
5 (the Fish or Fishes) the zodiacal sign or constellation Pisces.
6 Naut. sl. a torpedo; a submarine.
--v.
1 intr. try to catch fish, esp. with a line or net.
2 tr. fish for (a certain kind of fish) or in (a certain stretch of water).
3 intr. (foll. by for) a search for in water or a concealed place. b seek by indirect means (fishing for compliments).
4 tr. (foll. by up, out, etc.) retrieve with careful or awkward searching.

Idiom

drink like a fish drink excessively. fish-bowl a usu. round glass bowl for keeping pet fish in. fish cake a cake of shredded fish and mashed potato, usu. eaten fried. fish eagle
1 any large eagle of the genus Haliaeetus, with long broad wings, strong legs, and a strong tail.
2 any of several other eagles catching and feeding on fish. fish-eye lens a very wide-angle lens with a curved front. fish farm a place where fish are bred for food. fish finger Brit. a small oblong piece of fish in batter or breadcrumbs. fish-glue isinglass. fish-hawk an osprey, Pandion haliaeetus. fish-hook a barbed hook for catching fish. fish-kettle an oval pan for boiling fish. fish-knife a knife for eating or serving fish. fish-meal ground dried fish used as fertilizer or animal feed. fish out of water a person in an unsuitable or unwelcome environment or situation. fish-pond (or -pool) a pond or pool in which fish are kept. fish-slice a flat utensil for lifting fish and fried foods during and after cooking. other fish to fry other matters to attend to.

Fish, n. & v.
--n.
1 a flat plate of iron, wood, etc., to strengthen a beam or joint.
2 Naut. a piece of wood, convex and concave, used to strengthen a mast etc.
--v.tr.
1 mend or strengthen (a spar etc.) with a fish.
2 join (rails) with a fish-plate.

Idiom

fish-bolt a bolt used to fasten fish-plates and rails together. fish-plate a a flat piece of iron etc. connecting railway rails. b a flat piece of metal with ends like a fish's tail, used to position masonry.

Derivative

fishlike adj.

Fish, n. a piece of ivory etc. used as a counter in games.

Etymology

F fiche (ficher; see FISH(2))

THESAURUS

Fish

C, C-note, Chinook salmon, G, G-note, Loch Ness monster, Sunapee trout, aerial torpedo, albacore, alevin, alewife, alligator gar, amber jack, anchovy, angel fish, angle, anguille, archerfish, argusfish, babe, bait the hook, bangalore torpedo, barbel, barn door skate, barracuda, basking shark, bass, benthon, benthos, bill, black bass, black sea bass, blackfish, bleak, blind fish, blue fish, blue shark, bluegill, bob, bone, bonito, boob, bowfin, bream, brook trout, brown trout, buck, buffalo fish, bullhead, burbot, butt, butterfish, candlefish, capelin, carp, cartwheel, catfish, caviar, cent, century, cetacean, channel bass, char, chimaera, chub, chump, cichlid, cinch, cisco, clam, cobia, cod, codfish, coelacanth, conger, conger eel, copper, crappie, credulous person, croaker, cull, cutlass fish, cutthroat trout, dace, dap, darter, devilfish, dib, dibble, dime, doctor fish, dogfish, dollar, dollar bill, dolphin, dorado, dragon fish, drive, drum, drumfish, dupe, easy mark, easy pickings, eel, eelpout, electric ray, fall guy, fifty cents, filefish, fin, fingerling, fish, fish eggs, five cents, five hundred dollars, five-dollar bill, five-hundred-dollar bill, five-spot, fiver, flame tetra, flounder, fluke, fly-fish, fool, four bits, frogskin, fry, game fish, gar, gig, globefish, go fishing, goatfish, gobe-mouches, goby, goldfish, grand, greener, greenhorn, greeny, grig, grilse, grouper, grunt, guddle, gudgeon, gull, gunnel, haddock, hake, half G, half a C, half dollar, half grand, halibut, herring, hippocampus, hogfish, homing torpedo, horse mackerel, hundred-dollar bill, innocent, iron man, jack, jacklight, jewfish, jig, kingfish, kipper, kippered salmon, lake trout, lamprey, lantern fish, leadpipe cinch, ling, loach, lung fish, mackerel, mako shark, man-eater, man-eating shark, manta, marine animal, marlin, menhaden, mill, minnow, minny, monkey, moray eel, mudfish, muskellunge, nekton, net, nickel, oquassa, paddlefish, panfish, papagallo, patsy, penny, perch, permit, pickerel, pigeon, pike, pike perch, pilchard, pilot fish, piranha, plaice, plankton, plaything, poisson, pollack, pompano, porbeagle, porgy, porpoise, prize sap, puffer, pushover, quarter, rainbow trout, ray, red cent, red herring, redfin, redfish, roach, rocket torpedo, roe, roosterfish, salmon, salmon trout, sap, saphead, sardine, sawbuck, sawfish, schlemiel, scup, sea bass, sea horse, sea monster, sea pig, sea serpent, sea snake, seafood, seine, sergeant fish, shark, shiner, shrimp, silver dollar, sitting duck, skate, skin, smacker, smelt, smoked herring, smolt, snapper, snook, sole, spar torpedo, speckled trout, spin, sponge, sprat, steelhead, stickleback, still-fish, stooge, striped bass, sturgeon, submarine torpedo, sucker, sunfish, swordfish, tarpon, ten cents, ten-spot, tenner, thornback ray, thousand dollars, thousand-dollar bill, thresher, toadfish, tope, torch, torpedo fish, toy, trawl, triggerfish, troll, tropical fish, trout, trusting soul, tuna, tunny, turbot, twenty-dollar bill, twenty-five cents, two bits, two-dollar bill, two-spot, veiltail, victim, wahoo, walleye, walleyed pike, weakfish, whale, whitefish, whiting, yard, yellowtail

ROGET THESAURUS

Fish

Food

N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.

Animal

N animal, animal kingdom, fauna, brute creation, beast, brute, creature, critter, wight, created being, creeping thing, living thing, dumb animal, dumb creature, zoophyte, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, crustacean, shellfish, mollusk, worm, insect, arthropod, microbe, microbe, animalcule, alligator, crocodile, saurian, dinosaur (extinct), snake, serpent, viper, eft, asp, aspick, frog, toad, trout, bass, tuna, muskelunge, sailfish, sardine, mackerel, ant, mosquito, bee, honeybee, tardigrade, spider, biped, quadruped, webfoot, flocks and herds, live stock, domestic animals, wild animals, game, ferae naturae, beasts of the field, fowls of the air, denizens of the sea, black game, black grouse, blackcock, duck, grouse, plover, rail, snipe, horse, cattle, kine, ox, bull, bullock, cow, milch cow, calf, heifer, shorthorn, sheep, lamb, lambkin, ewe, ram, tup, pig, swine, boar, hog, sow, steer, stot, tag, teg, bison, buffalo, yak, zebu, dog, cat, dog, hound, pup, puppy, whelp, cur, mongrel, house dog, watch dog, sheep dog, shepherd's dog, sporting dog, fancy dog, lap dog, toy dog, bull dog, badger dog, mastiff, blood hound, grey hound, stag hound, deer hound, fox hound, otter hound, harrier, beagle, spaniel, pointer, setter, retriever, Newfoundland, water dog, water spaniel, pug, poodle, turnspit, terrier, fox terrier, Skye terrier, Dandie Dinmont, collie, feline, puss, pussy, grimalkin, gib cat, tom cat, fox, Reynard, vixen, stag, deer, hart, buck, doe, roe, caribou, coyote, elk, moose, musk ox, sambar, bird, poultry, fowl, cock, hen, chicken, chanticleer, partlet, rooster, dunghill cock, barn door fowl, feathered tribes, feathered songster, singing bird, dicky bird, canary, warbler, finch, aberdevine, cushat, cygnet, ringdove, siskin, swan, wood pigeon, vermin, varmint, pest, animal, zoological equine, bovine, vaccine, canine, feline, fishy, piscatory, piscatorial, molluscous, vermicular, gallinaceous, rasorial, solidungulate, soliped.