- tremendousadjectiveChapter 1 →
Extraordinarily large and impressive in size; here used to emphasize the fish's great bulk and age, suggesting it is far bigger than an ordinary catch.
“I caught a tremendous fish / and held him beside the boat”
- fastadjectiveChapter 1 →
Firmly fixed or stuck in place, not moving; the hook is lodged securely in the corner of the fish's mouth and will not come loose.
“half out of water, with my hook / fast in a corner of his mouth.”
- gruntingadjectiveChapter 1 →
Making a low, rough sound; describes the fish's labored, heavy breathing or noise as it is held out of the water.
- infestedverbChapter 1 →
Overrun or covered heavily by parasites or small creatures; the fish's skin is densely covered with sea-lice and other clinging organisms.
- lichennounChapter 1 →
A crusty, plant-like organism that grows on rocks and other surfaces; here it appears as orange patches clinging to the ancient fish's skin.
- barnaclesnounChapter 1 →
Small hard-shelled sea creatures that permanently attach themselves to underwater surfaces like rocks or the hulls of boats; here they cling to the fish's skin as signs of its great age.
- sea-licenounChapter 1 →
Tiny parasitic crustaceans that attach to and feed on fish; their presence on the fish's body signals how long it has lived in the sea.
- swim-bladdernounChapter 1 →
An internal gas-filled organ that fish use to control their buoyancy and stay at a desired depth in the water without sinking or floating.
- iridescentadjectiveChapter 1 →
Showing shifting, luminous colors that change depending on the angle of light, like the inside of a shell or a soap bubble.
- frayedadjectiveChapter 1 →
Worn down and unraveling at the edges from long use; the old fishing lines hanging from the fish's jaw are tattered and coming apart.
“Like medals with their ribbons / frayed and wavering,”
- leadernounChapter 1 →
A short length of strong, often nearly invisible line connecting a fishing hook to the main fishing line; a broken leader means a previous angler's line snapped during a fight with the fish.
- gunwalenounChapter 1 →
The upper edge or rail along the side of a boat; it is the topmost structural rim that runs along the length of the hull.
- bilgenounChapter 1 →
The lowest interior part of a boat's hull where water, oil, and other liquids collect; here oily, rainbow-colored water pools in this space.
- bailernounChapter 1 →
A small scoop or bucket used to remove water that has collected inside a boat; it is a basic, utilitarian tool found in small fishing vessels.
- thwartsnounChapter 1 →
The horizontal planks or seats that run across the inside of a small boat from one side to the other, used as seats or for structural support.
The FishShort story by Elizabeth Bishop