Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A rebuttal to an article or blog made by quoting its content in sections and refuting each section individually.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Named after journalist Robert Fisk. Originated in the blogosphere.

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Examples

  • If you’re interested in fisking Beck’s pronouncements, or more importantly in looking to Beck for a comparative review of European political movements, then pity’s not strong enough of a word for my feeling towards you. joe from Lowell says:

    Matthew Yglesias » Glenn Beck Slams Far-Right 2010

  • Today Eli ran across a rather longer fisking aka comment, by another Mike, Michael MacCracken, hosted on Climate Science Watch.

    The Mikes have the Willies EliRabett 2010

  • Today Eli ran across a rather longer fisking aka comment, by another Mike, Michael MacCracken, hosted on Climate Science Watch.

    Archive 2010-01-01 EliRabett 2010

  • The term fisking – which you dont use but merely link to – is such a childish and clunky phrase that slanders a true journalist.

    Matthew Yglesias » Stabbing and Backs 2007

  • The term fisking – which you dont use but merely link to – is such a childish and clunky phrase that slanders a true journalist.

    Matthew Yglesias » Stabbing and Backs 2007

  • The term fisking – which you dont use but merely link to – is such a childish and clunky phrase that slanders a true journalist.

    Matthew Yglesias » Stabbing and Backs 2007

  • The term fisking – which you dont use but merely link to – is such a childish and clunky phrase that slanders a true journalist.

    Matthew Yglesias » Stabbing and Backs 2007

  • It's called fisking and it's been around forever in internet time that is.

    "What the Congress Can Do for America," by Mr. Bush, the president of the United States. (A translation.) Ann Althouse 2007

  • I'm not normally big on fisking as a form of commentary, but Travers has stacked so many grotesque opinions, misleading statements, and easily-refuted conclusions into one article that a fisking is the only appropriate way to deal with his viral strain of ignorance.

    Ideology and ignorance, a toxic mix 2007

  • I'm not normally big on fisking as a form of commentary, but Travers has stacked so many grotesque opinions, misleading statements, and easily-refuted conclusions into one article that a fisking is the only appropriate way to deal with his viral strain of ignorance.

    Archive 2007-04-01 2007

Comments

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  • A line-by-line, or paragraph-by-paragraph, refutation of an odious written work, often with an acidic or sardonic tone. Pilfered from Public Intellectual 2.0, William Beutler.

    January 15, 2009