fish [OE] A fish was originally any animal living exclusively in water, as distinct from the ‘birds of the air’, and the ‘beasts of the field’. In Christian art a fish is a symbol of Christ, and is often found in paintings in the underground catacombs of ancient Rome. The connection may go back to the first letters of the Greek words for ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour’, which were read as ikhthus, Greek for ‘fish’, found in words such as ichthyology [M17th] for the study of fish, and the fish-like dinosaur ichthyosaur [M19th]. The idea of being a fish out of water, or a person in a completely unsuitable environment, is very old, going back to the days of Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote that ‘A monk when he is reckless [Meaning ‘neglectful of his duty’] is like a fish that is waterless’. The respelling phishing for internet fraud goes back to 1992. See also red, vegetarian, wife.