Fishing vbl. sb.¹

[f. FISH v. + -ING¹.]

  1.  The action of the vb. FISH.

  a.  The action, art, or practice of catching fish.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 13278 (Cott.). Petre and andreu … Wit þair fissing war þai fedd.

1464.  Nottingham Rec., II. 374. Item for a lyne boght for the same fisshyng … xijd.

1570.  Act 13 Eliz., c. 11 § 3. Such Cods and Lings as they shall happen to take upon the Sea by their own fishing.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., III. 105–6. The best fishing that the whole Ocean yeeldeth, is upon the coasts of Orknay and Zetland.

1762.  H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint., II. i. 19. Representations in miniature of the customs, huntings, fishings and productions of the country.

1814.  Scott, Wav., iv. Of all diversions which ingenuity ever devised for the relief of idleness, fishing is the worst qualified to amuse a man who is at once indolent and impatient.

  b.  proverbs.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1562), D iv.

1614.  Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 695. It is good striking, when God hath stricken; there is no fishing so good as in troubled waters.

a. 1665.  J. Goodwin, Filled w. the Spirit, xiii. (1670), 362. Those Proverbial Sayings; There is no fishing like to a fishing in the sea, no service like the Service of a King.

1671.  F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 432 It grew into a Proverb amongst us not yet forgotten, No fishing to the Sea, no Service to the King.

  c.  transf. and fig. Also with advbs., as about, out, up (see senses of the vb.).

1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. iv. 19. The newe fyshyng, whiche serued not to take fishes with nettes to feade the belly, but wyth the nette of the Gospell to catche men.

1641.  Hinde, J. Bruen, vii. 27. Witnesse hereof, in parents such fishing for heires, such catching up of Wards, [etc.].

1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5909/2. Forbidding … either the fishing up, or receiving any of the … Effects that might be driven on the Coast.

1741.  Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 79. Why, Mrs Jewkes, said I, is all this fishing about for something, where there is nothing, if there be an end of your watchments, as you call the?

1889.  Century Dict., Fishing out, the removal of fish from a fish-pond, the ‘drawing’ of a pond.

  2.  To go (also ME. wade) a-fishing: a. lit. (OE. had on fiscoð gán).

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2198.

  b.  transf. (nonce-use) To rob on the highways.

1608.  Pennyless Parl., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), III. 78. Soldiers, that have no means to thrive by plain dealing … go a fishing on Salisbury Plain.

  3.  The privilege or right of catching fish in certain waters; common and several fishing = common and several fishery: see FISHERY 4.

1495.  Act 2 Hen. VII., c. 62 § 1. The Mede called the Kingis Mede and half the fysshing of the Watir called Temise.

1523.  Fitzherb., Surv., 9. Also of mylnes seuerall fysshinges and commen fysshinges what they be worthe.

1607.  Norden, Surv. Dial., 110. Whether hath the Lord of the Mannor any peculiar fishing within any riuer, brook, mere, stagne, pond, or other water?

1788.  Filey Inclos. Act, 24. Wrecks, fishings, and all other royalties.

  4.  A place or facilities for catching fish; fishing-ground, fishery.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel. (1633), 95. There also would be planted a good towne, having both a good haven and a plentifull fishing.

1641.  in J. Knox, View Brit. Emp. (1785), II. 397. The Imployment of the Fishermen and Marriners, whilst they be in Harbor, and till they come to their Fishings outwards bound.

1795.  J. Richardson, in J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 377. Upon the Tumble which joins the Tay at Logierait there are scattered fishings belonging to different proprietors.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., vii. Ellangowan’s hen-roosts were plundered, his linen stolen from the lines or bleaching-ground, his fishings poached, his dogs kidnapped, his growing trees cut or barked.

  5.  attrib. and Comb.: a. simple attrib. (sense 1) as fishing-bark, -basket, -boat, -box, -craft, -gear, -ground, -hook, -house, -hutch, -line, -net, -pen, -season, -ship, -smack, -tackle, -town, -trade, -village, -weir.

1841.  W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., III. 349. The list, however, included *fishing-barks and small coasters, and in many cases the same vessel was reckoned several times over.

1838.  G. P. R. James, The Robber, i. While the *fishing-basket under the arm, and the rod in the hand, and all the rest of an angler’s paraphernalia conspicuous upon the person, reconciled the homely dress with the distinguished appearance.

1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., V. § 1. Several *Fishing-boats and Lighters gliding up and down on a Surface as smooth and bright as Glass enlivened the Prospect.

1836.  Marryat, Midsh. Easy, xiii. 69. They had received information from the men of a fishing-boat, who, to obtain their own release, had given the intelligence, that a small convoy was coming down from Rosas as soon as the wind was fair, under the protection of two gun-boats.

1870.  Law Rep., Comm. Pleas, V. 659. A *fishing-box, called a coop, cruive, or trap, is placed, which is so arranged that a fish going into it cannot get out.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. II. 31. If they are not provided with Hooks, Lines or Harpoons, or any other *Fishing-Craft, nor meet with any Turtlers, Cuba will afford them Sustenance of Hog or Beef.

1875.  W. M‘Ilwraith, Guide to Wigtownshire, 91. Stranraer was the rendezvous of the … fishing craft.

1863.  Lyell, Antiq. Man, 19. The Swiss archæologist has found abundant evidence of *fishing-gear, consisting of pieces of cord, hooks, and stones used as weights.

1641.  in J. Knox, View Brit. Emp. (1785), II. 397. They are to … make them [nets] in all respects fit, and in a readinesse against they come to the *fishing grounds.

1785.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 350. As they had neither *fishing hook or nets, which was the only omission in my fitting them out, they had no opportunity to furnish themselves.

1799.  G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 231. To harden Fishing Hooks. After you have (of good wire) made your small fishing hooks, you must not put them into the fire to harden, but lay them upon a red hot iron plate.

1676.  Cotton, Angler, II. i. 9. I have lately built a little *Fishing House upon it [the river], dedicated to Anglers, over the door of which you will see the two first Letters of my Father Walton’s name and mine twisted in Cypher.

1778.  Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Selsey, This peninsula has several fishing-houses towards the shore.

1868.  Law Rep., Queen’s B. III. 289. By means of this dam the water is penned up, and forms a long and angular-shaped pool, and is used to supply the mill on the opposite side, and also a *fishing hutch or trap in connextion with such dam situated close to the mill-wheel.

1466.  Mann. & Househ. Exp., 212. My mastyr paid hym for v. *fyshenge lynes.

1865.  Lubbock, Preh. Times, 375. Their fishing-lines were made of the bark of the Erowa, a kind of nettle which grows in the mountains, and were described as ‘the best fishing-lines in the world,’ better even than our strongest silk lines.

1530.  in Weaver, Wells Wills (1890), 145. A vowlyng nett and a *ffyshing nett.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. II. 105. If they should do to him, as the White Men do, he [Hippopotamus] would soon destroy their Canoas and Fishing-Nets.

1864.  Tennyson, En. Ard., 14.

1791.  W. Jessop, Rep. Thames & Isis, 20. The Sills of the old Lock and *Fishing Pen may be raised 18 Inches.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. II. 12. Where the Indian Fishers who are subject to the Spaniards, lye in the *Fishing-Seasons, their Habitations and Families being farther up in the Country.

1785.  J. Knox, View Brit. Emp., I. 319. There is a shoal called the Lock, on which several *fishing ships from Kinsale take abundance of ling every year. Ibid., I. 302. The *fishing-smacks from Harwich and other places, lay and took them in for London.

1876.  J. Saunders, Lion in Path, vii. The tiny fleet of fishing-smacks were all hauled up together on the shingle, in fear of an English ship of war that he saw in the offing.

1703.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3935/4. A Vellum Pocket-Book, with some *Fishing-Tackle in it.

1813.  Examiner, 15 Feb., 102/1. B. George … fishing-tackle-maker.

1699.  in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 325. It was formerly a small *fishing-town, but many people coming from London in time of the sickness and after the fire.

1662.  J. Smith, England’s Improv. Reviv’d (1670), 258. The *Fishing-Trade, being in our own Seas, and on our own ground.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. II. 124. At this Opening is a small *Fishing Village.

1870.  Law Rep., Comm. Pleas, V. 659. A *fishing-weir … is a structure sometimes made of solid masonry.

  b.  Special comb., as fishing-breeze, one favorable for fishing; fishing-crib (see quot.); fishing-flake = fish-flake; fishing-float (see quots.); fishing-room (see quot.); fishing-tube (see quot.); fishing-wand (Sc.) = FISHING-ROD.

1888.  E. J. Mather, Nor’ard of Dogger, 279. There has been a ‘smart *fishing-breeze’ during the night, resulting in a heavy catch.

1886.  Charlton Adams, A Shannon Forty-pounder, in Longm. Mag., VII. April, 652. Owing to the increase of fixed engines, called *fishing-cribs.

1861.  L. L. Noble, After Icebergs, 205. Wet with spray, and chilly, we are glad to jump ashore at Mrs. Bridget Kennedy’s *fishing-flake.

1727–41.  Chambers Cycl., *Fishing Floats, are little Appendages to the Line, serving to keep the Hook and Bait suspended at the proper Depth, to discover when the Fish has hold of them, &c.

1893.  Standard Dict., Fishing-float, [U. S.], a scow used in seine-fishing, from which an apron is let down to the bed of the river for the more convenient handling of the seine.

1879.  E. W. H. Holdsworth, in Encycl. Brit., IX. 266/1. *‘Fishing rooms’ or portions of the shore set apart for the curing and storing of fish.

1874.  Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 873/2. *Fishing-tube. (Microscopy.) An open-ended glass tube for selecting a microscopic object in a fluid.

1889.  Barrie, Window in Thrums, 96. I was in the garden putting some rings on a *fishing-wand.