Americans use many expressions about fish and fishing. For example, if something sounds fishy, it may not be
true. Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water when I go to a party and everyone but
me is doing the latest dance. When I ask my friend if she likes my new dress, I would like her to say something nice.
In other words, I am fishing for a compliment. You might tell someone to fish or cut bait if he repeatedly
attempts to do something he is unable to do.
Sometimes a lawyer will ask a witness many questions in an effort to discover the facts of a court case. This is
called going on a fishing expedition.
Some expressions involve different kinds of fish. Information that is used to draw attention away from the real facts
of a situation is called a red herring. If you want to express a feeling of surprise,
you might cry "holy mackerel!" although we do not know why a mackerel is holy.
Once I went to a county fair and tried my luck with a game of chance. It was so easy; it was like shooting fish in
a barrel. Then I went on the fastest, highest and most frightening ride: the roller coaster.
At the end of the ride, I did not feel so well. A friend said I looked green around the gills.
I grew up in a small town where everybody knew about my life. There were times when I thought I was living in a
fishbowl. So I moved to Washington, where things were different.
Now I take the train to work every day during rush hour when many other people travel to their jobs. Sometimes the
train is so crowded that we are packed in like sardines. Sardines are tiny fish that
lie close to each other in cans.
One man who works in my office is a cold fish. He is unfriendly and does not like to join us at office parties. Another man in my office likes to enjoy alcoholic drinks at parties.
In fact, you might say he drinks like a fish. We need to help him stop drinking.
Last week, my sister's car broke down as we were driving to a friend's marriage ceremony.
"This is a fine kettle of fish," I said. "Now we will be late."
My sister attends a small college where she is one of the smartest students. She always wants to be a big fish
in a small pond. Recently, my sister broke up with her boyfriend. I told her not to worry, she will
find another one because there are plenty of other fish in the sea.
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This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at voaspecialenglish.com.
Note
Идиоматические выражения о рыбах на английском языке с переводом
fishy – сомнительный; неправдоподобный;
(to feel) like a fish out of water – (чувствовать себя) не в своей стихии; (быть) как рыба, вынутая из воды;
fishing for a compliment – напрашиваться на комплимент; напрашиваться на приглашение;
to fish or cut bait – сделать выбор, не откладывая в долгий ящик;
a fishing expedition – попытка получить информацию;
red herring – отвлекающий манёвр;
holy mackerel! – ничего себе! вот это да! ну и ну!;
shooting fish in a barrel – проще простого, проще пареной репы;
to look green about the gills – выглядеть больным;
in a fishbowl – на виду, в поле зрения общественности, под прицелом общественного мнения;
packed in like sardines – (набиты) как сельди в бочке;
cold fish – бесчувственный, холодный человек, "сухарь";
to drink like a fish – пить как сапожник;
that's a fine kettle of fish! – весёленькая история!;
big fish in a small pond – каждый кулик в своем болоте велик;
there are other fish in the sea – свет клином не сошёлся.