fish story

noun

Informal.

1. an exaggerated or incredible story.

   It was just another one of his fish stories.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fish story¹

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Idioms and Phrases

An improbable, boastful tale, as in He came up with some fish story about his winnings at the track. This expression alludes to the tendency of fishermen to exaggerate the size of their catch. [Early 1800s]