Crossword Genius

Watched like a hawk or a freshwater fish, in a manner of speaking (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eyed

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'watched' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'like a hawk or a freshwater fish in a manner of speaking' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'like' could be 'y' (similar in meaning) and 'y' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'eed' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for eyed that I've seen before include "Looked at closely" , "Looked at, warily perhaps" , "Ogled" , "Watched with interest" , "Viewed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.