Reader's question:  

You might tell someone to fish or cut bait if he repeatedly attempts to do something he is unable to do.

Could you explain "fish or cut bait"?

My comments:

In other words, do it or stop it altogether.

To fish one uses bait, the food one puts on the hook in order to attract fish.

When a fish takes the bait, you pull up the hook and you may catch the fish. Or you may not catch it, as the case may be.

And when you're done for the day, you cut the bait that's not eaten by any fish before packing for home.

Anyways, in the above example, you're advised to tell people who can't successfully finish a task to stop instead of keeping giving the impression that he's working.

Fish, or cut bait and go home. In other words, don't pretend to be doing something when all you do is waste everybody's time.

Related stories:

Gilt-edged

To do more with less

Right down the middle

Take my word for it

40-sometimes

Last but not the least

Call it a dog

Pull my leg

Ego bath

Tough call

Rain check

Upper reaches

Off the shoulders

Off and running

Gold dust

Frugality fatigue

Red flag

Foregone conclusion

Call balls and strikes

Stare in the face

Cyber Monday

With a grain of salt

Drive home

Out of nowhere

Shove it under the carpet

the sky is the limit

hit it off

get my rib in my heart

With bells on

No harm, no foul

Go to Zhang Xin's column

本文僅代表作者本人觀點(diǎn)，與本網(wǎng)立場(chǎng)無(wú)關(guān)。歡迎大家討論學(xué)術(shù)問(wèn)題，尊重他人，禁止人身攻擊和發(fā)布一切違反國(guó)家現(xiàn)行法律法規(guī)的內(nèi)容。

Zhang Xin（張欣） has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.