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verb

fisk

fihsk
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Fisk (verb) means to move about briskly or restlessly; to whisk around. Example: “The cat fisked around the room chasing the laser dot.”

verb
1
To move about briskly or restlessly; to whisk around.
"The cat fisked around the room chasing the laser dot."
2
To go through someone's argument point by point and rebut each part, especially in an online post.
"Now, apparently, Barack Obama's campaign is fisking Hillary Clinton's campaign memos." — , Fisked By Obama (2008)
"A proper fisking leaves the reader with a clear understanding that the text so fisked was appallingly wrong in every important respect!" — Institute of Public Affairs, The World of Blog (2002)
"He fisked the op-ed paragraph by paragraph, quoting each claim before tearing it apart."

How to use fisk

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither "to dart about restlessly" (old, rare) or "to rebut an article point by point online" (internet slang).

Memory tip

If you see this word online, it almost always means the internet "rebuttal" sense, not the old "whisk about" meaning.

Trace the full origin ↓
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Word forms

Third person singular
fisks
Past tense
fisked
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The cat _____ around the room chasing the laser dot.

Etymology

The "move about quickly" sense is old English dialect, probably related to words for hurrying. The "rebut line by line" sense is much newer internet slang, named after journalist Robert Fisk, whose articles were famously picked apart this way by online critics.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for fisk

risk disk brisk frisk whisk
See all rhymes for fisk →

Frequently asked questions

What does “fisk” mean?
The word “fisk” means to move about briskly or restlessly; to whisk around. In plain terms, either "to dart about restlessly" (old, rare) or "to rebut an article point by point online" (internet slang).
How do you pronounce “fisk”?
“Fisk” is pronounced fihsk (/fɪsk/ in IPA).
How do you use “fisk” in a sentence?
Here is “fisk” used in a sentence: “The cat fisked around the room chasing the laser dot.”
What part of speech is “fisk”?
“Fisk” is a verb.
Where does the word “fisk” come from?
The word “fisk” comes from Old English.
How many meanings does “fisk” have?
“Fisk” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move about briskly or restlessly; to whisk around.