[f. as prec. + -ING2.] That fishes.
1. Of an animal: That catches fish. (The names of such animals are sometimes hyphened.)
Fishing frog, a fish: = ANGLER1 2.
1688. Clayton, in Phil. Trans., XVII. 989. The Fishing Hauk is an absolute Species of a Kings-fisher, but full as large, or larger than our Jay.
1766. Pennant, Zool. (1769), III. 94. The fishing frog grows to a large size, some being between four and five feet in length.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. (ed. 4), 153. The Fishing cat … is very common in Lower Bengal about Calcutta.
2. Of an accusation, inquiry, etc.: Preferred or put forward in order to elicit information which cannot be gained directly.
1831. T. L. Peacock, Crotchet Castle, xv. 232. He again threw out two or three fishing questions, to which, as before, he obtained no answer.
1844. Ld. Brougham, A. Lunel, I. ii. 37. So she framed what our lawyers call her fishing question.
1863. H. B. Wilson, Sp. bef. Privy Council, 3. It would always be easy to oppress any clerical author who might not belong to an influential party, by bringing against him merely colourable and fishing Articles of accusation, with reference to his publications.
Hence Fishingly adv.
1837. Lockhart, Scott (1839), VIII. 23. One of the College librarians yesterday told Sir W., fishingly, ‘I have been so busy that I have not yet read your Redgauntlet.’
1893. Field, 27 May, 771/1. The onlooker who is not fishingly inclined.
