| 释义 |
cat's-foot
1. The foot of a cat; † used lit. in reference to the fable or tale of a monkey (or a fox) using the foot or paw of a cat to rake roasted chestnuts out of the burning coals.
(The story is told by some of a monkey belonging to Pope Julius II., 1503–13; see N. & Q. Ser. vi. VII. 286.)
[1623Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 167 To take the Cat by the foote, and therewith to rake the coales out of the Ouen.] c1661Argyle's Last Will in Harl. Misc. (1746) VIII. 30/1 Like the Monkey, that took the Cat's Foot to pull the Chesnut out of the Fire. 1666Pepys Diary 6 June, My Lord Brouncker, which I make use of as a monkey do the cat's foot. c1680Humane Prudence (1717) 214 The polite man makes use of others as the Fox did of the Cat's Foot, to pull the Apple out of the Fire.
†2. Hence fig. = cat's-paw 2. Obs.
1675Penn Eng. Pres. Interest Disc. 40 It is the Interest of Governours..not to be the Cat's Foot. 1693T. Pitts West. Martyrol. (1705) 7. 1699 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Tool..the Creature of any Cause..or Cat's Foot.
3. A plant:
a. Ground-ivy, Nepeta Glechoma.
b. Mountain Cudweed, Antennaria dioica.
1597Gerard Herbal i. ccc. 705 In English ground Iuie..Tunehoofe, and Cats foote. 1758J. S. Le Dran's Observ. Surg. (1771) 122 An Infusion made with the Head of white Poppies, Cat's-foot, Colt's-foot, and Maiden-hair. 1775Lightfoot Flora Scot. (1777) I. 470 Mountain Cudweed or Cats-Foot. 1878in Britten & Holl. Plant-n. [Still used in both senses.] |