any of various cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with scales.

(loosely) any of various other aquatic animals.

the flesh of fishes used as food.

Fishes, Astronomy, Astrology . the constellation or sign of Pisces.

Informal . a person

an odd fish; a poor fish.

a long strip of wood, iron, etc., used to strengthen a mast, joint, etc.

Cards Slang . an incompetent player whose incompetence can be exploited.

Slang . a dollar

He sold the car for 500 fish.

Slang . a new prison inmate.

to catch or attempt to catch (any species of fish or the like).

to try to catch fish in (a stream, lake, etc.)

Let's fish the creek.

to draw, as by fishing (often fol. by up or out )

He fished a coin out of his pocket for the boy.

to search through, as by fishing.

Nautical .

to secure (an anchor) by raising the flukes.

to reinforce (a mast or other spar) by fastening a spar, batten, metal bar, or the like, lengthwise over a weak place.

to catch or attempt to catch fish, as by angling or drawing a net.

to search carefully

He fished through all his pockets but his wallet was gone.

to seek to obtain something indirectly or by artifice

to fish for compliments; to fish for information.

to search for or attempt to catch onto something under water, in mud, etc., by the use of a dredge, rake, hook, or the like.

to attempt to recover detached tools or other loose objects from an oil or gas well. ?

fish out, to deplete (a lake, stream, etc.) of fish by fishing. ?

drink like a fish

to drink alcoholic beverages to excess

Nobody invites him out because he drinks like a fish.

fish in troubled waters

to take advantage of troubled or uncertain conditions for personal profit.

fish or cut bait, to choose a definite course of action

esp. to decide whether to participate in or retreat from an activity.

fish out of water

a person out of his or her proper or accustomed environment

He felt like a fish out of water in an academic atmosphere.

neither fish nor fowl

having no specific character or conviction; neither one nor the other.

other fish to fry

other matters requiring attention

When it was time to act, they had other fish to fry.

verb

angle , bait , bait the hook , bob , cast , cast one’s hook , cast one’s net , chum , extract , extricate , find , go fishing , haul out , net , produce , pull out , seine , trawl , trollnotes:fish is the plural when referring to fish in general or a quantity of fish of the same kind , and fishes is the plural to refer to a quantity with variety , bass , carp , dab , dace , dap , drail , eel , gill , gudgeon , ide , ling , poach (fish unlawfully) , poisson , scrod , scup , shad , smelt , snapper , sole , troll , trout , tuna