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The idiom fish out of water alludes tosomeone exposed to an unknown situation. This expression makes reference to the fact that fish cannot survive on dry land for a long time which is out their habitat. The earliest reference to be traced is in Samuel Purchas Pilgrimage in 1613 as:
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What does the phrase’a fish out of water’mean?
The saying ‘A fish out of water’ – meaning and origin. What’s the meaning of the phrase ‘A fish out of water’? Someone who is in a situation they are unsuited to. What’s the origin of the phrase ‘A fish out of water’?
What is the meaning of out of water?
A person who is out of his or her element. It presumably was observed in ancient times that fish cannot survive long out of water, because their gills cannot take oxygen from the air if they are dry. St. Athanasius is credited as the first to transfer this idea to human beings out of their usual environment, sometime before a.d. 373.
What is an example of fish out of water?
For example, Using a computer for the first time, Carl felt like a fish out of water, or On a hiking trail, Nell was a fish out of water. This expression alludes to the fact that fish cannot survive for long on dry land. [Late 1300s]
How old is the saying 渇ish out of water?
溾€ huge man, uncouth; a master of vessel and knew all the ports; not ride well; like a fish out of water as sat on his horse.?That means this phrase is over 530 years old, at least!