To go fishing. Perhaps more to the point; to put the bait out there and see if it catches anything. A salesman looking for a new customer could be said to be "putting a line in the water."

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? asked in Society & Culture Languages · 9 years ago

English question: What does the expression "put a line in the water" mean, figuratively?

Update:

Thank you very much both for answering. I came across it in Michael Connelly's "The Concrete Blonde. "

"Well, that was all I was checking," Mola said into the phone. "Just trying to put a line in the water. Ask around and let me know what you come up with."

(As they are trying to find out who the murderer is.)

2 Answers

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Anonymous
9 years ago
Favourite answer
To go fishing.
Perhaps more to the point; to put the bait out there and see if it catches anything.
A salesman looking for a new customer could be said to be "putting a line in the water."
?
9 years ago
Probably to take a chance
Source(s): Native English speaker, but I've never heard that expression lol

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