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Meaning & use

shrimping

noun, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈʃrɪmpɪŋ/
US/ˈʃrɪmpɪŋ/

“shrimping” is a form of “shrimp”.

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    The activity of catching shrimp, either as a job or for fun.

    Grammar: No article: we went shrimping.

    Patterns

    • go shrimping
    • shrimping boat

    We spent the morning shrimping in the shallow bay.

    Shrimping is a major industry on the Gulf Coast.

    The kids loved shrimping with small nets.

  2. verbintransitive

    Catching shrimp, as in going out to fish for them.

    Grammar: No object: they are shrimping off the coast.

    Patterns

    • be shrimping

    The men are shrimping at dawn.

    Boats were shrimping near the reef.

Word forms

base formshrimp
third person singularshrimps
past tenseshrimped
-ing formshrimping

Common combinations

go shrimping
We plan to go shrimping this weekend.
shrimping boat
A shrimping boat left the harbor.
shrimping season
Shrimping season starts in May.
shrimping industry
The shrimping industry employs thousands.

Synonyms and how they differ

prawning
Prawning is the British equivalent, while shrimping is the usual American term.
fishing
Fishing is general for catching any fish, while shrimping targets shrimp only.
trawling
Trawling means dragging a net behind a boat, which may be how shrimping is done but is not specific to shrimp.

Word family

shrimp noun
A small sea creature eaten as food.
shrimper noun
A person or boat that catches shrimp.
shrimp boat noun
A boat used for catching shrimp.

Practice

Many families in the coastal town make money from ___.

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