21 FISH idioms

21 FISH idioms

Hello English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. Today, we will look at 21 “fish” idioms.

1. A big fish in a small pond
2. As wrinkled as a trout
3. Bigger fish to fry
4. Catch a whale
5. Catfish story
6. Cold fish
7. Fish for compliments
8. Fish for information
9. Fish in troubled waters
10. Fish or cut bait
11. Fish out of water
12. Fishy
13. Fishy story
14. Jump the shark
15. Like shooting fish in a barrel
16. Loan shark
17. Neither fish nor fowl
18. Old trout
19. Packed like sardines
20. Plenty of fish in the sea
21. The world is your oyster

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A big fish in a small pond

Meaning: refers to someone who is important or influential within a small or limited environment but who may not be as important in a larger context.

• James used to be a big fish in a small pond at his previous job, but now he’s just one of many talented employees at the new company.
• As the star player on his local team, he was a big fish in a small pond, but playing at the national level was much more challenging.

FISH idioms

As wrinkled as a trout

Meaning:  describes someone with a lot of wrinkles, often due to age or long exposure to the sun.

• After spending all his life fishing in the sea, his skin was as wrinkled as a trout.
• Grandma’s hands, as wrinkled as a trout, told stories of a lifetime of hard work.

Bigger fish to fry

Meaning: to have more important matters to deal with than the present situation.

• I can’t worry about that minor issue right now; I have bigger fish to fry.
• The manager decided to focus on the major project deadlines because he had bigger fish to fry.

Catch a whale

Meaning: to achieve something big or significant, especially in the context of business or personal success.

• Landing that contract was like catching a whale for our company.
• When she got accepted into that prestigious university, Mary felt ls if she had caught a whale.

FISH idioms

Catfish story

Meaning: a tale or account of deception, often related to online interactions. The word “catfish” became popular due to the practice of creating fake online identities to deceive others, typically for romantic or financial gain.

• She shared her catfish story about how she was tricked by someone pretending to be a famous actor online.
• Beware of catfish stories! Always verify the identity of people you meet online.

Cold fish

Meaning: refers to someone who is unemotional or lacks warmth and friendliness. It is used to describe a person who appears distant or unfriendly.

• The new colleague never smiles or shows any emotion; he’s such a cold fish.
• She tried to connect with him, but he remained a cold fish throughout their date.

Fish for compliments

Meaning: to try to get someone to say something nice about you.

• She was clearly fishing for compliments when she said she didn’t think her dress looked good.
• Patrick always fishes for compliments by talking down about his achievements.

FISH idioms

Fish for information

to try to get information from someone in a secret or indirect way.

• She was fishing for information about the new project without directly asking about it.
• The journalist was fishing for information during the interview.

Fish or cut bait

Meaning: to make a decision, rather than remain indecisive or inactive.

• We’ve been discussing this project for weeks. It’s time to fish or cut bait.
• You need to decide whether to accept that job offer or not. Fish or cut bait.

Fish in troubled waters

Meaning: to take advantage of a chaotic or difficult situation to achieve your goals, especially in an unscrupulous way.

• During the company’s restructuring, some employees tried to fish in troubled waters by pushing for promotions.
• He was fishing in troubled waters by trying to profit from his friend’s financial difficulties.

FISH idioms

Fish out of water

Meaning: refers to someone who feels uncomfortable or not at ease in an unfamiliar environment or particular situation.

• James felt like a fish out of water at a formal dinner party.
• Drew was a novice in her new job because she had no experience in the field.

Fishy story

Meaning: refers to a story that seems unlikely, suspicious or exaggerated.

• She told us a fishy story about how she won the lottery twice in one week.
• That sounds like a fishy story; are you sure it really happened?

Jump the shark

Meaning: refers to a moment when something that was once popular or influential begins to decline in quality or relevance. It originates from a specific episode of the TV show Happy Days, in which a character literally jumps over a shark while water-skiing, which was seen as a desperate attempt to maintain viewer interest.

• The show really jumped the shark when they introduced that ridiculous plot twist.
• Many fans believe the series jumped the shark in its fifth season.
• When they started adding too many features, the app jumped the shark and lost its original charm.

FISH idioms

Like shooting fish in a barrel

Meaning: refers to something that is very easy to do.

• Convincing George to join our team was like shooting fish in a barrel; he was already interested.
• With our new marketing strategy, attracting customers will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Loan shark

Meaning: a person or organization that lends money at extremely high interest rates, typically illegally and without proper authorization.

• John borrowed money from a loan shark, and now he’s struggling to pay it back.
• The protagonist in the film finds himself in trouble after taking a loan from a ruthless loan shark.

Neither fish nor fowl

Meaning:  used to say that something or someone does not fit neatly into any category or classification.

• The new gadget is neither fish nor fowl; it’s not quite a phone, but it’s not a tablet either.
• The novel is neither fish nor fowl, blending elements of science fiction and historical drama.

FISH idioms

Old trout

Meaning: describes a grumpy and difficult old lady.

• That old trout next door is always complaining about the noise.
• Don’t pay attention to her. She’s just an old trout who likes to grumble.

Packed like sardines

Meaning: refers to a situation where people or things are very crowded together like sardines tightly packed in a can.

• It was a rush hour, and the commuters were packed like sardines on the train.
• The audience at the concert was packed like sardines.
• We were packed like sardines in the tiny elevator.

Plenty of fish in the sea

Meaning: refers to a situation where there are many other potential partners or opportunities available, especially in the context of romantic relationships. It is often used to comfort someone who has experienced a breakup or rejection, suggesting that there are many other people out there who could be a good match.

• Don’t worry about the breakup; there are plenty of fish in the sea.
• Don’t feel so sad about the job interview. There are plenty of fish in the sea.

FISH idioms

The world is your oyster

Meaning:  suggests that the world is full of possibilities and that you can take advantage of them to reach your goals. It is used to encourage someone to be ambitious and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

• Now that you’ve graduated, the world is your oyster.
• With your skills and determination, the world is your oyster.
• Don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities; the world is your oyster.

FISH idioms

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