fish (redirected from neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring)

be another/a different kettle of fish

if you say that something or someone is a different kettle of fish, you mean that they are completely different from something or someone else that has been talked about. Andy was never very interested in school, but Anna, now she was a completely different kettle of fish. I'd driven an automatic for years but learning to handle a car with gears was another kettle of fish altogether.

See also: another, different, kettle

be like a fish out of water

to feel awkward because you are not familiar with a situation or because you are very different from the people around you. All the other children in the school had rich, middle-class parents, and she was beginning to feel like a fish out of water.

See also: like, water

be neither fish nor fowl

if something is neither fish nor fowl, it is difficult to describe or understand because it is like one thing in some ways but like another thing in other ways. The hovercraft has always suffered from the fact that it is neither fish nor fowl.

See also: neither, nor

a big fish (informal)

an important or powerful person in a group or organization. Mrs Coughlin is one of the directors - a big fish.

See also: big

a big fish in a small pond

one of the most important people in a small group or organization, who would have much less power and importance if they were part of a larger group or organization. As the manager of a local company, he enjoys being a big fish in a small pond.

See also: big, small

a cold fish

a person who does not seem very friendly and does not show their emotions. He isn't very demonstrative, but his mother was a cold fish so he probably gets it from her.

See also: cold

drink like a fish (informal)

to regularly drink a lot of alcohol. Harriet had two bottles of wine with her meal - that girl drinks like a fish!

See also: drink, like

a fine/pretty kettle of fish (mainly American)

a difficult situation. That's a fine kettle of fish - the car won't start and I have to leave in five minutes.

See also: fine, kettle, pretty

fish for compliments

to try to make someone praise you, often by criticizing yourself to them. Emma, you know you don't look fat in that dress. Are you fishing for compliments? (usually in continuous tenses)

See also: compliment

Fish or cut bait. (American)

something that you say to someone when you want them to make a decision and take action without any more delay. Your relationship's going nowhere. It's time to fish or cut bait.

See also: bait, cut

have bigger/other fish to fry

to have something more important or more interesting to do. I couldn't waste my time trying to reach an agreement with them, I had other fish to fry.

See also: big, fry, other

a queer fish (British, old-fashioned)

a strange person. I knew his father and he was a queer fish too.

See also: queer

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fish or cut bait

to act or decide you are not going to do anything. The time has come when you have to fish or cut bait — either you help us plan what to do or we will decide and go ahead without you.

See also: bait, cut

a fish out of water

someone who is uncomfortable in a particular situation. After living in Hong Kong for most of his life, Lee was a fish out of water in Los Angeles.

See also: water

have bigger fish to fry

to have something more important or more interesting to do. I couldn't spend a lot of time on the problem – I had other fish to fry.

See also: big, fry