fishing expedition

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a legal proceeding mainly for the purpose of interrogating a suspect, or of examining their property and documents, in order to gain useful information.

2. any inquiry carried on without any clearly defined plan or purpose in the hope of discovering useful information.

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fishing expedition Idioms  

1. An attempt to find useful information by asking questions at random. For example, The sales force was told to go on a fishing expedition to find out what they could about the company's competitors. This expression was taken up by lawyers to describe interrogating an adversary in hopes of finding relevant evidence and is now used more broadly still. [c. 1930]

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Etymology

Origin of fishing expedition

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

My fishing expedition had exposed only a prejudice within myself.

From Washington Post

Cuffari and his staff have complained to senators of a politically motivated fishing expedition designed to undermine him and his attempts to clean up the inspector general’s office.

From Washington Post

A Planned Parenthood doctor described Bailey’s investigation as a “fishing expedition” targeting the clinic, which provides gender-affirming care to adults, and teens ages 16 and older.

From Seattle Times

"Unsubstantiated", "highly defamatory", and a "fishing expedition", the company says of the potential evidence.

From BBC

Dr. Colleen McNicholas, the health center’s chief medical officer, described Bailey’s investigation as a “fishing expedition.”

From Washington Times