fish out of water

[alpacinou]

Hello.

Is the expression "like a fish out of water" commonly used in everyday conversations?

Have I used it correctly and "naturally" in these examples?

1. Look at John on the dance floor! Poor guy looks like a fish out of water. He is horrible!

2. The new CEO has no idea how to manage the staff. He is like a fish out of water.

 

[GoesStation]

They're both okay with me.

 

[teechar]

Is the expression "like a fish out of water" commonly used in everyday conversations?

Yes, it is.

Have I used it correctly and "naturally" in these examples?

Yes, but I think something like "looks ridiculous" works better than "is horrible" in #1.

 

[Tarheel]

I think it is used as a metaphor more often than as a simile. (I could be wrong.)

 

[Tdol]

Mind you, we do talk about Dad at a disco when we're talking about clumsy dancing more than fish out of water.

 

[GoesStation]

Mind you, we do talk about Dad at a disco when we're talking about clumsy dancing more than fish out of water.

I like that one! I've never heard it in American English though.

 

[alpacinou]

Mind you, we do talk about Dad at a disco when we're talking about clumsy dancing more than fish out of water.

I couldn't find that one in the dictionaries. How is it used in a sentence?

 

[GoesStation]

I couldn't find that one in the dictionaries. How is it used in a sentence?

Tdol's reference tells me it's a more modern British way to say "like a fish out of water".

 

[alpacinou]

1. Look at John on the dance floor! Poor guy looks like a dad at a disco. He is ridiculous!

 

[tedmc]

Some dads take to disco like a fish takes to water.

 

[emsr2d2]

I use "dad dancing" (as a noun).

Have you seen John on the dance floor? Talk about dad dancing! I can barely look.

 

[GoesStation]

I use "dad-dancing" (as a noun).

Have you seen John on the dance floor? Talk about dad-dancing! I can barely look.

I'd hyphenate a compound noun of that sort, if I could drag myself off the dance floor.