fish tale
Whopper from fishermen
A fish tale is an exaggerated or boastful story, especially one that stretches the truth to impress listeners.
The term comes from the stereotype of fishermen who inflate the size of their catch: By the time he told it, that fish tale had the bass weighing twenty pounds.
Any implausible account of personal exploits qualifies.
Overstating beyond reality
- embellishmentDecorative addition or exaggeration
- braggingExcessive self-praise
- overstatementClaim beyond the facts
- stretching the truthExaggerating while claiming honesty
tall story · whopper · puffery · swagger · bluster · grandiosity · self-aggrandizement · boastful
Humorous statement seeking laughter
- punchlineHumor's final delivery
- witClever, inventive humor
- gagMouth restraint or jest
- quipBrief, clever remark
banter · yarn · anecdote · storytelling · jest · wisecrack · mirth · comedy
One who casts lines
Unverified traditional tale
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- fableMoral tale with animals
- apocryphalUnverified and probably untrue
fantastical · unbelievable · incredible · sea monster · Loch Ness · kraken · mermaid · leviathan
exaggeration
Overstating beyond reality
- embellishmentDecorative addition or exaggeration
- braggingExcessive self-praise
- overstatementClaim beyond the facts
stretching the truth · tall story · whopper · puffery · swagger · bluster · grandiosity · self-aggrandizement · boastful · windbag
joke
Humorous statement seeking laughter
quip · banter · yarn · anecdote · storytelling · jest · wisecrack · mirth · comedy · raconteur
angler
One who casts lines
reel · lure · hook · line · catch · bass · trout · salmon · cast · charter
legend
Unverified traditional tale
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- fableMoral tale with animals
apocryphal · fantastical · unbelievable · incredible · sea monster · Loch Ness · kraken · mermaid · leviathan · Moby Dick
- fishing lorethe one that got away, whopper, exaggeration, yarn, embellishment
- talesfunny stories, short story, yarns, folktale, ghost story
- fishing idiomshook line and sinker, the one that got away, cast a wide net, take the bait, reel in
- tall talesPaul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, Johnny Appleseed, Davy Crockett
- comedycomedy, jokes, humor, puns, sarcasm
- storiesstory, myth, legend, fable, folktales
fish taletrue story
Narrative of actual events
gospel truth · verified account · unvarnished truth · sworn testimony · documentary evidence
fish, tale, fishes, fished, fishing, fisher, fisherman, fishery, fishy