🗓️ Idiom: Like a Fish Out of Water (phrase)
💬 Meaning
- Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in a situation.
- Being in an environment where you don’t feel confident or relaxed.
🧠 Example Sentences
- When she started her new job, she felt like a fish out of water at first.
- He looked like a fish out of water during the team-building activity.
- I always feel like a fish out of water when I have to speak in large meetings.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom has been used since the 14th century. It compares a person to a fish that has been taken out of water — a place where it cannot breathe or move easily. The image helps describe people who feel uneasy or out of their comfort zone in a new or stressful situation.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
She felt ________ when she joined a new team and didn’t know anyone.
Answer
like a fish out of water
2. Choose the correct answer:
What does “like a fish out of water” mean?
a) Feeling comfortable and confident
b) Feeling out of place or uncomfortable
c) Working hard to reach your goals
Answer
b) Feeling out of place or uncomfortable
3. Change the sentence using “like a fish out of water”:
“He felt uncomfortable during his first online presentation.”
Answer
He felt like a fish out of water during his first online presentation.
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