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To fish out something (or fish something out) is to pull someone or something out of water, or take something out of a bag, pocket or other container, especially after searching for it.
Informal English.
Examples of use:
1. He fished out his business card and handed it to me.
2. She fished out a coin from the bottom of her bag and put it in the parking meter.
3. His grandmother searched in her enormous handbag and fished out a bag of sweets.
3. Police divers have fished a body out of the river.
4. News headline: Unexploded torpedo fished out of River Forth.
5. Her dad fished the ball out of the pond for her.
6. News headline: Severed foot fished out of lake just a Halloween prop.
| infinitive |
fish out |
| present simple |
fish out and fishes out |
| -ing form |
fishing out |
| past simple |
fished out |
| past participle |
fished out |
Can you write a sentence using this phrasal verb?
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About Angela Boothroyd
Hello. What’s the difference between Fish up and Fish out.
Hello Charles,
I haven’t heard fish up used very often.
I think it has two meanings:
1. to literally pull something out of water (the same as fish out)
2. to find something or contrive to find something (e.g. The journalist fished up incriminating photos of the politician).
I hope that helps.
Thank you for your question