cat1

 
Pronunciation: /kat/

noun

  • 1a small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur, a short snout, and retractile claws. It is widely kept as a pet or for catching mice, and many breeds have been developed.
    • Felis catus, family Felidae (the cat family); it was probably domesticated in ancient Egypt from the local race of wildcat. The cat family also includes the ocelot, serval, margay, lynx, and the big cats
  • a wild animal of the cat family: a marbled catSee also big cat.
  • used in names of catlike animals of other families, e.g. native cat, ring-tailed cat.
  • informal a malicious or spiteful woman: his mother called me an old cat
  • historicalshort for cat-o'-nine-tails.
  • short for catfish.
  • short for cathead.
  • short for catboat.
  • 2 informal, chiefly North American (especially among jazz enthusiasts) a man: this West Coast cat had managed him since the early 80s the cat went crazy on the horn
  • 3 historical a short tapered stick used in the game of tipcat.

verb (cats, catting, catted)

[with object] Nautical
  • raise (an anchor) from the surface of the water to the cathead: I kept her off the wind and sailing free until I had the anchor catted

Phrases

all cats are grey in the dark (or US at night all cats are gray)

proverb the qualities that distinguish people from one another are obscured in some circumstances, and if they can’t be perceived they don’t matter.

cat and mouse

a series of cunning manoeuvres designed to thwart an opponent: he continues to play cat and mouse with the UN inspection teams

a cat may look at a king

proverb even a person of low status or importance has rights.

the cat's whiskers (or chiefly North American meow or pyjamas)

informal an excellent person or thing: this car is the cat’s whiskers

has the cat got your tongue?

said to someone who remains silent when they are expected to speak.

let the cat out of the bag

informal reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake: now that Viola had let the cat out of the bag, she had no option but to confess

like a cat on a hot tin roof (British also on hot bricks)

informal very agitated or anxious.

like herding cats

informal
used to refer to a difficult or impossible task, typically an attempt to organize a group of people: controlling the members of this expedition is like herding cats

like the cat that got (or stole) the cream

informal self-satisfied, having achieved one’s objective: you sit in this office like the cat that got the cream and expect the world to revolve around you

look like something the cat brought in

informal look very dirty or dishevelled.

not have a cat in hell's chance

informal have no chance at all: the plan did not have a cat in hell’s chance of succeeding

put (or set) the cat among the pigeons

British say or do something that is likely to cause trouble or controversy.

see which way the cat jumps

informal see what direction events are taking before committing oneself.

when (or while) the cat's away, the mice will play

proverb people will naturally take advantage of the absence of someone in authority to do as they like: ‘His parents are away for the weekend.’ ‘I see—while the cat’s away.’

who's she—the cat's mother?

see she.

Origin:

Old English catt, catte, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kat and German Katze; reinforced in Middle English by forms from late Latin cattus