fishbowl
Definition
- Noun:
- A transparent bowl in which small fish are kept: A small, usually round, glass or plastic container used as an aquarium for pet fish.
- A state of affairs in which you have no privacy: A situation where one's actions, life, or work are subject to constant observation and scrutiny by the public or others.
Examples of Usage
Noun (Literal): The child was fascinated by the goldfish swimming in the fishbowl. She cleaned the algae from the sides of the fishbowl.
Noun (Figurative): Celebrities often feel like they live in a fishbowl, with every move watched by the media. Working in the open-plan office was like being in a fishbowl; there was no privacy at all.
Advanced Usage
- "goldfish bowl": A common variant, especially in British English, used identically to "fishbowl" for both the literal object and the figurative state of being under constant observation.
Variants and Related Words
- Goldfish bowl (n): Synonymous with "fishbowl."
- Aquarium (n): A larger, often rectangular tank for keeping fish and aquatic plants. While similar, an "aquarium" is typically larger and more complex than a simple "fishbowl."
- Terrarium (n): A transparent enclosure for keeping plants or small land animals, structurally similar but for a different purpose.
Synonyms
- For the figurative sense: Public scrutiny, spotlight, glass house, exposed situation.
- For the literal object: Bowl, aquarium (small), tank.
Related Idioms
- "Living in a fishbowl/goldfish bowl": An idiom describing a life without privacy, constantly on display.
- "A fishbowl existence": A life characterized by a lack of privacy.
Noun
-
a transparent bowl in which small fish are kept
-
a state of affairs in which you have no privacy
-
the president lives in a goldfish bowl
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "fishbowl"
