Vocabulary In the News : New York Post (Online Article from 20 November 2010) – “What a catch!”

The headline of this article has some great idiomatic expressions that come from fishing terminology. Let’s first look at “What a catch!” Of course the meaning is clear because when you go fishing, you want to catch fish. If you catch or someone else catches a nice, big fish you would say, “What a catch!” You can also use this expression to describe someone’s partner. If a friend of yours found a really nice boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife you would tell them the say thing! Of course if they unfortunately lose them, you could say “There are other fish in the ocean.”

When you fish, you hope to catch a fish on your hook. However, the headline states that some young New Yorkers are also hooked. If you are hooked on something, you are really interested  or attracted to it and you want to do it as much as possible. These guys are hooked on fishing. This expression can also be used to describe an addiction that you can’t stop such as being hooked on drugs.

Angling is the sport of catching fish. When you fish, you hope to catch a fish on the line when it bites your hook. Of course, while reeling in your fish, you could lose it! For these New York fisherman, they are putting their angling skills on the line.  If you put or lay something on the line, you put something at risk. The young New Yorkers are risking their reputations as good fisherman. When our soldiers go on mission into a combat area, they put their lives on the line for us.

To read the article, click on the above image.