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fish down

C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words

To push or guide a wire, rope, or cable down through a tight hidden space.

Literal meaning: Like a fisherman lowering a line down into water — pushing something down through a narrow channel.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic informal

To push or feed a wire, cable, or rope downward through a narrow or hidden channel such as a wall cavity.

"The electrician had to fish the cable down through the wall to reach the socket below."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Highly specialized; most commonly used in electrical work, plumbing, and construction contexts. Rarely heard outside trade or DIY conversations.

Commonly used with

wire cable rope conduit pipe line

Forms

Base
fish down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fishes down
he/she/it
Past simple
fished down
yesterday
Past participle
fished down
have + pp
-ing form
fishing down
continuous

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Synonyms

thread down feed down guide down run down snake down

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