Why do we say shooting fish in a barrel?

Origin: Prior to the modern days of refrigeration, fish were packed and stored in large barrels. The barrels were packed to the rim full of fish. As such, any shot the entered the barrel would be guaranteed to hit at least one of them. This being the case, nothing would be easier than shooting fish in a barrel.

What does fish in a barrel mean?

said to mean that one side in a battle or contest is so much stronger than the other that the weaker side has no chance at all of winning.

What does shooting crabs in a barrel mean?

Crab mentality, also known as crabs in a bucket (also barrel, basket, or pot) mentality, is a way of thinking best described by the phrase “if I can’t have it, neither can you”. While any one crab could easily escape, its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group’s collective demise.

What does over barrel mean?

Definition of ‘have someone over a barrel’ If someone has you over a barrel, they have put you in a difficult situation where you have little choice but to do what they want you to do.

What does the phrase shoot from the hip mean?

Speak or act recklessly or impulsively, as in Steve isn’t very tactful; indeed, he’s known for shooting from the hip. This expression transfers the fast shooting accomplished by drawing a gun from a holster and shooting without raising it to quick speaking or acting.

What does shooting fish mean?

The phrase like shooting fish in a barrel is a simile that means something is easy to do. In other words, people use this saying to express how simple an activity is.

Why do crabs pull each other down in a bucket?

The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in crabs when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape, its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group’s collective demise.

Why do crabs pull others down?

A crab placed alone in a bucket will easily climb out and escape, but when you place it with a few of its mates, this interesting phenomenon occurs: One at a time, as the crabs try to escape, other crabs will pull them back down to their misery and the group’s collective demise.

Is ‘shooting fish in a barrel’ like shooting fish in a barrel?

It should have been like shooting fish in a barrel, but convincing them to increase their investment is proving a lot trickier than we expected. Picking personal flaws of the president to mock in your comedy routing is like shooting fish in a barrel. See also: barrel, fish, like, shoot

What is the origin of the idiom “fish in the barrel”?

The origin of this idiom is more of a mystery than most, but there is one theory that is the most popular. In the past, after fish were caught, they were packaged to be sold in the market place. The fish were tightly packed into barrels filled with ice.

Is making fun of politicians like shooting fish in a barrel?

Making fun of politicians is like shooting fish in a barrel. Ridiculously easy, as in Setting up a computer nowadays is like shooting fish in a barrel. This hyperbolic expression alludes to the fact that fish make an easy target inside a barrel (as opposed to swimming freely in the sea).

What does it mean to shoot into a barrel of ice?

The fish were tightly packed into barrels filled with ice. If someone were to shoot into that barrel, they’d be guaranteed to hit one. This phrase is most often used as a simile.