fish /fɪʃ/► SEE ALLfish for complimentsfish or cut baita fish out of waterhave other/bigger fish to fryneither fish nor fowlan odd/a queer fishthere are plenty/lots more fish in the seathere are (plenty of) other fish in the seaa big fish (in a little/small pond)be like taking candy from a babya cold fisha different kettle of fishdrink like a fish ●fish for complimentsencourage sb indirectly to say nice things about you转弯抹角地谋取恭维；沽名钓誉◆Stop asking me if you look OK. You’re just fishing for compliments. 别再问我你看上去是不是得体了，你不过是想让我说好话罢了。●fish or cut ˈbait (NAmE, informal) used to tell sb to make a decision and take the necessary action要么动手，要么拉倒；作出抉择，采取行动◆There’s been enough discussion. It’s time for the government to fish or cut bait. 讨论得已经够多了，政府该下决心采取行动了。NOTEBait is the food you put on a hook to catch fish. If you cut bait, you stop fishing. * bait 指鱼饵。剪掉鱼饵（cut bait），即意味着停止钓鱼。●a ˌfish out of ˈwater (informal) a person who feels uncomfortable or embarrassed in unfamiliar surroundings离水之鱼；不得其所的人；不适应陌生环境的人◆Everybody else knew each other really well, so I felt a bit like a fish out of water. 别人彼此都知根知底，我觉得有点不自在。●have other/bigger fish to ˈfry (informal) have more important, interesting or useful things to do有更重要（或更有趣、更有用）的事要做◆He’s not interested in reviewing small provincial exhibitions like this one; he’s got much bigger fish to fry. 他对评介这样小规模的地方展览不感兴趣，他有更重要的事要做。◆So you aren’t coming out with us tonight? I suppose you’ve got other fish to fry. 那么你今天晚上不跟我们出去了？我猜你另有重要安排吧。●neither ˌfish nor ˈfowlneither one thing nor another既不是这也不是那；非驴非马◆Graduate teaching assistants are neither fish nor fowl, neither completely students nor teachers. 研究生助教既不完全是学生，又不完全是教师，而是介于二者之间。●an ˌodd/a ˌqueer ˈfish (old-fashioned, BrE) a strange person怪人◆He’s an odd fish. He’s got a lot of very strange ideas. 他是个怪人，有很多奇怪的想法。●there are plenty/lots more fish in the ˈsea●there are (plenty of) other fish in the ˈsea (informal) there are many other people or things that are as good as the one sb has failed to get还有很多同样好的人（或物）；天涯何处无芳草◆‘I’ll never love anyone as much again.’ ‘Look, Julie, there are lots more fish in the sea, you know.’ “我再也不会像这样去爱别人了。”“得了吧，朱莉，天涯何处无芳草啊。”●a big ˈfish (in a little/small pond)an important person but only in a small community, group, etc.（小圈子、小团体等中的）要人，大人物，大腕◆I would rather stay here in the village and be a big fish in a little pond than go to the city where no one knows me.我宁愿呆在乡下做条小池塘里的大鱼，也不愿到大城市里做个无名小卒。●be like taking ˌcandy from a ˈbaby ( be like shooting ˌfish in a ˈbarrel) used to emphasize how easy it is to do sth（用于强调）极为简单，唾手可得，犹如探囊取物，犹如瓮中捉鳖◆I thought it was going to be difficult to get funding for the project, but in the end it was like taking candy from a baby.我原以为为项目筹集资金会很困难，没想到这么容易，犹如囊中取物。◆What do you mean you can’t do it? It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel!你说做不了是什么意思？这不过是举手之劳而已！●a ˌcold ˈfish (disapproving) a person who shows little or no emotion, or is unfriendly, reserved, etc.不动感情的人；冷血动物◆When I first met him, he seemed rather a cold fish, but actually he’s quite passionate.我们初次见面时，他看起来冷冰冰的，不过实际上他是个很热情的人。●a different kettle of ˈfish (informal) a person or thing that is completely different from sb/sth else previously mentioned另一码事；截然不同的人（或物）◆You may be able to read French well, but speaking it fluently is a different kettle of fish entirely.你也许能很顺畅地阅读法语，但要流利地说法语就是另一码事了。NOTE A kettle in this idiom is a pan in which you can cook a whole fish. * kettle 在这个习语中指能烧整条鱼的平锅。●drink like a ˈfish (informal) regularly drink too much alcohol（习惯性）饮酒过度，豪饮◆Her husband drinks like a fish.她丈夫酗酒。
