a counter, used in various games.-of fish-a name loosely applied in popular usage to many animals of diverse characteristics, living in the water.-an oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. it breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water. see pisces.-the twelfth sign of the zodiac; pisces.-the flesh of fish, used as food.-a purchase used to fish the anchor.-a piece of timber, somewhat in the form of a fish, used to strengthen a mast or yard.-to attempt to catch fish; to be employed in taking fish, by any means, as by angling or drawing a net.-to seek to obtain by artifice, or indirectly to seek to draw forth; as, to fish for compliments.-to catch; to draw out or up; as, to fish up an anchor.-to search by raking or sweeping.-to try with a fishing rod; to catch fish in; as, to fish a stream.-to strengthen (a beam, mast, etc.), or unite end to end (two timbers, railroad rails, etc.) by bolting a plank, timber, or plate to the beam, mast, or timbers, lengthwise on one or both sides. see fish joint, under fish, n.