shooting fish in a barrel
shooting fish in a barrel (simile)
/ˈʃuːtɪŋ fɪʃ ɪn ə ˈbær.əl/
Meaning
- Describes a task that is exceedingly simple to accomplish, often implying an unfair advantage due to the lack of challenge.
- Refers to an activity that requires minimal effort to achieve success, highlighting the ease of the situation.
- Indicates a situation where success is nearly guaranteed because of the simplicity involved.
- Represents an endeavor that is effortlessly performed, suggesting that achieving the goal is straightforward and uncomplicated.
Variants
- like shooting ducks in a barrel
- like shooting fish in a tub
Example Sentences
- Winning the debate against an unprepared opponent was like shooting fish in a barrel.
- With such weak competition, securing the contract felt like shooting fish in a barrel.
- The game was so easy that scoring points was like shooting fish in a barrel.
- Convincing him to accept the offer was like shooting fish in a barrel since he was already interested.
Origin and History
One prevalent theory posits that before the advent of modern refrigeration, fishermen stored their catch in barrels filled with ice to preserve freshness during transport. These barrels were often packed to the brim with fish. In such a scenario, firing a shot into the barrel would almost certainly hit a fish due to the limited space, illustrating the ease implied by the idiom.
Theory 2: Water-Filled Barrels
Another interpretation envisions live fish swimming in a water-filled barrel. In this confined environment, the fish have minimal room to evade, making them easy targets. This perspective aligns with the notion that the idiom emphasizes the simplicity of achieving success when the target has no means of escape.
Theory 3: Literal Practice
Some suggest that the phrase may have originated from an actual practice where individuals would shoot fish confined in barrels for sport or efficiency. This literal interpretation underscores the lack of challenge in such an activity, thereby giving rise to the metaphor for effortless tasks.
Earliest Recorded Usage
Tracing the first appearance of “shooting fish in a barrel” in print is challenging. The earliest documented usage appears in the Bunbury Herald newspaper from 1912:
“Up to this time it had all been easy as shooting fish in a barrel; but after a while No. 9 would come pounding down from Huntington, and then I knew there would be several kinds of things to pay.”
This citation indicates that the idiom was in use in the early 20th century, suggesting it had entered colloquial language by that time.
Modern-Day Interpretation
In contemporary usage, “shooting fish in a barrel” serves as a hyperbolic expression to denote tasks that are ridiculously easy. The phrase effectively conveys the absence of difficulty, often implying an unfair advantage or a lack of challenge.
Synonyms
- as easy as pie
- a walk in the park
- a piece of cake
- like taking candy from a baby
- no-brainer
- child’s play
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