Fishing as a sport is when you catch fish but release them back into the water after.
Fishing idioms and expressions
Many idioms originated from fishing and here is a list of them with examples.
drop someone a line
meaning – contact someone by phone or writing
example – Alex said drop him a line if you want to do something this weekend.
fish for compliments
meaning – try and elicit compliments from someone
example – Kirsty always fishes for compliments; she is so annoying.
off the hook
meaning – safe from trouble, blame, difficulty etc.
example – Jenny has offered to sit in on the meeting, so I’m off the hook.
open a can of worms
meaning – do/say something that will cause more trouble than it’s worth
example – If the owner’s unqualified daughter gets the promotion, it will open a can of worms.
plenty more fish in the sea
meaning – when a relationship fails, there are more people to have relationships with
example – Everyone is telling me there’s plenty more fish in the sea, but I only want Hugh.
reel in
meaning – catch a fish and pull it to land
example – Let’s go to a club and reel in the ladies.
You can download a table of fishing idioms and expressions below.
If you’ve enjoyed this page, don’t forget to check out some more sports idioms by clicking on the links below.
