drift-net
Definition
Noun: A type of large fishing net that is suspended vertically in the water and allowed to drift with the current or tide, typically used to catch fish such as herring or salmon.
Usage Examples
- (A net placed in the water to drift freely.)
- (A net that drifts with the current, causing bycatch.)
Advanced Usage
"Drift-net fishing": The practice or method of using a drift-net.
- Drift-net fishing is banned in many international waters due to its ecological impact. (The activity of fishing with a drift-net.)
"Drift-net vessel": A boat specifically equipped to deploy and retrieve drift-nets.
- The coast guard inspected the drift-net vessel for compliance with fishing regulations. (A ship used for drift-net fishing.)
Variants and Related Words
Driftnet (n): Alternative spelling of "drift-net" (often used as a single word).
- The driftnet was tangled in the propeller. (Same meaning as drift-net.)
Drift-netter (n): A person or vessel that uses a drift-net.
- He worked as a drift-netter on the North Sea. (A fisherman who uses a drift-net.)
Synonyms
- Gillnet: A type of net that catches fish by the gills, often similar in use to a drift-net but not necessarily drifting.
- Curtain net: A net that hangs like a curtain in the water, sometimes used interchangeably for drift-nets in certain contexts.
Related Idioms
- "To cast a wide net": To search or attempt to cover a broad range (not directly related to drift-net, but metaphorically similar).
- The investigation cast a wide net to find the suspect. (To search broadly, like a net.)
Phrasal Verbs
Drift-net (verb): To fish using a drift-net.
- They drift-netted the channel for herring. (They employed a drift-net to catch fish.)
Set a drift-net: To deploy or place a drift-net in the water.
- The crew set the drift-net before the storm hit. (They positioned the net to drift.)