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a fishing expedition
mainly USDefinition
› an attempt to discover the facts about something by collecting a lot of information, often secretly: The investigators' request for the company's accounts is simply a fishing expedition - they have no real evidence of wrongdoing.Finding and discovering
(Definition of a fishing expedition from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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a fifth/third wheel idiom
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a fight to the finish idiom
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a fine figure of a man/woman idiom
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a fine line idiom
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a firm hand idiom
- a fishing expedition idiom
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a flash in the pan idiom
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a free ride idiom
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a friend in need is a friend indeed idiom
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a full, good, thick, etc. head of hair idiom
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a gift from the gods idiom
Browse the Thesaurus
SMART Thesaurus: Finding and discovering
Synonyms and related words:
- ascertain verb
- break fresh/new ground idiom
- breakthrough noun
- catch sb red-handed idiom
- catch sb with their pants/trousers down idiom
- finder noun
- finders keepers (losers weepers) idiom
- finding noun (DISCOVERY)
- flush sb out phrasal verb
- get hold of idiom
- orientate verb (FIND POSITION)
- pin sth down phrasal verb
- put sb onto sth phrasal verb
- put your finger on sth idiom
- rake sth out phrasal verb
- run sb/sth down phrasal verb (FIND)
- smell sth/sb out phrasal verb
- suss verb
- unlock verb
- winkle sth/sb out phrasal verb
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