To Fish In Troubled Waters

Pronunciation: /tu fɪʃ ɪn ˈtrʌbld ˈwɔtərz/

Definitions of to fish in troubled waters

verb to engage in a risky or dangerous activity in order to gain an advantage

Example Sentences

A1 I don't want to fish in troubled waters.

A2 She was warned not to fish in troubled waters by getting involved in the argument.

B1 The politician decided to fish in troubled waters by bringing up the controversial topic.

B2 It's not wise to fish in troubled waters by spreading rumors.

C1 He strategically chose to fish in troubled waters to gain an advantage in the negotiation.

C2 The company's decision to fish in troubled waters by exploiting a legal loophole backfired in the long run.

Examples of to fish in troubled waters in a Sentence

formal It is unethical for a business to fish in troubled waters by taking advantage of a competitor's misfortune.

informal I don't want to fish in troubled waters by getting involved in their family drama.

slang I heard he's trying to fish in troubled waters by spreading rumors about his ex-girlfriend.

figurative Instead of trying to fish in troubled waters, it's better to focus on finding solutions to the problem.

Grammatical Forms of to fish in troubled waters

• past tense: fished
• plural: fishes
• comparative: more troubled
• superlative: most troubled
• present tense: fish
• future tense: will fish
• perfect tense: have fished
• continuous tense: is fishing
• singular: fisher
• positive degree: troubled waters are fishable
• infinitive: to fish
• gerund: fishing
• participle: fishing

Origin and Evolution of to fish in troubled waters

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'to fish in troubled waters' originated from the practice of fishing in rough or turbulent waters where fish are more easily caught.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase has evolved to mean taking advantage of a difficult or chaotic situation for personal gain, rather than simply fishing in rough waters.