a fish out of water
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of a person who is out of his usual environment and so feels awkward and in the way; also of one who is without his usual occupation and is restless in consequence.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a fish out of water” mean?
Said of a person who is out of his usual environment and so feels awkward and in the way; also of one who is without his usual occupation and is restless in consequence.
Is “a fish out of water” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.