fishily

/'fiʃili/

Friendly

Sure! The word "fishily" is an adverb that describes something done in a suspicious or questionable manner. When someone acts "fishily," it means their actions seem strange or untrustworthy, as if there might be something hidden or dishonest going on.

Usage Instructions:

• "Fishily" is often used to describe behavior, actions, or situations that make you feel unsure or wary.
• You can use it in both spoken and written English when you want to describe something that doesn’t feel right.

Example:

• "He answered the questions fishily, making me wonder if he was telling the truth."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, you might hear "fishily" used in discussions about legal matters, business dealings, or even in casual conversations about friendships and relationships where trust is in question.

Word Variants:

• "Fishy" (adjective): The root word, meaning suspicious or not quite right. For example, "There was a fishy smell about his explanation."
• "Fish" (noun): Refers to the aquatic animal. Note that this is a different meaning.

Different Meanings:

• While "fishily" primarily refers to suspicious behavior, "fishy" can also describe something that literally smells like fish or something that appears strange or unusual in a non-suspicious context (like a "fishy situation" that is odd but not necessarily dishonest).

Synonyms:

• Suspiciously
• Questionably
• Dubiously

Idioms:

• "Something smells fishy": This idiom means that something seems suspicious or not right. For example, "I think something smells fishy about that deal."

Phrasal Verbs:

There aren't specific phrasal verbs that directly relate to "fishily," but you can use phrases like: - "Fish around": To search for information in a cautious or sneaky way.

Academic

Adverb

1. in a questionably unusual manner
   • this money had been queerly come by

Synonyms

• queerly