Rural Dictionary

fisk

'Fisk' is developing a meaning that is broader than definition #1 but more constrained than definition #4. It's coming to designate any point-by-point (attempt at) refutation of the other guy's argument. Haven't seen it with a small "f" yet, but surely that will come soon.

Brad deLong did a nice fisking of the NYT's analysis of the employment numbers.

by buce August 25, 2005

161👍 107👎

fisk

The term refers to Robert Fisk, a journalist who wrote some rather foolish anti-war stuff, and who in particular wrote a story in which he (1) recounted how he was beaten by some anti-American Afghan refugees, and (2) thought they were morally right for doing so. Hence many pro-war blogs -- most famously, InstaPundit -- often use the term "Fisking" figuratively to mean a thorough and forceful verbal beating of an anti-war, possibly anti-American, commentator who has richly earned this figurative beating through his words. Good Fisking tends to be (or at least aim to be) quite logical, and often quotes the other article in detail, interspersing criticisms with the original article's text.

Responding to an earlier declaration against the war by a group of German intellectuals, a group of American academics and intellectuals has written a response. It's basically a heavyweight group-Fisking.

by Winkel April 4, 2004

230👍 195👎

fisk

To copy an article to your blog, then after every paragraph insert your own oh-so-witty comments. You don't actually have to refute or analyze anything you don't agree with, because ad hominem attacks like "this douche prick is obviously a goatfucker" is basically the same thing.

This is teh Socialist goatfucker! It's too bad Atlas Shrugged isn't required reading in every third grade class room, because this stuff practically fisks itself.

by John Galt's Urologist January 16, 2004

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