cat's-footn.
1. The foot of a cat; †used literally 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 Notes & Queries Ser. vi. VII. 286.
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1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue ii. 167 To take the Cat by the foote, and therewith to rake the coales out of the Ouen.]
c1661 Argyle'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.
1666 S. Pepys Diary 6 June (1972) VII. 150 My Lord Bruncker; which I make use of but as a monkey doth the cat's foot.
c1680 Humane 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.
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the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > instrumentality > [noun] > (a) means > person as > mere
stale1580
creature1587
puppet1592
motion1602
property1611
looma1650
tool1663
cat's-foot1675
cat's paw1785
paw1824
dummy1866
stooge1937
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > duping, making a fool of > [noun] > gullible person, dupe > a puppet, tool
poppet1551
puppet1592
property1611
tool1663
cat's-foot1675
cat's paw1785
1675 W. Penn England's Present Interest 40 It is the Interest of Governours..not to be the Cat's Foot.
1689 T. Pitts New Martyrol. 12 The same person lay behind the Curtain, and thrust their Cats-feet into the Fire.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Tool..the Creature of any Cause..or Cat's Foot.
3. A plant (still used in both senses):
a. Ground-ivy, Nepeta Glechoma.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > labiate plant or plants > [noun] > ground-ivy
hovec1000
tunhoofc1000
earth ivyOE
hayhovec1325
alehoofa1400
mead-rattlea1400
ground-ivyc1400
yardhovec1430
cat's-foot1597
maidenhair1657
maidenhair berry1794
maidener1938
1597 J. Gerard Herball i. 705 In English ground Iuie,..Tunehoofe, and Cats foote.
1878 in J. Britten & R. Holland Dict. Eng. Plant-names Cat's-foot.
b. Mountain Cudweed, Antennaria dioica.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Compositae (composite plants) > [noun] > cudweeds
horewortc1400
chafeweed1548
chafewort1548
cudweed1548
cudwort1548
cartafilago1551
cottonweed1562
downweed1562
petty cotton1578
small cotton1578
file-wort1597
live forever1597
livelong1597
life-everlasting1629
white plantain1687
petty coy1736
cat's-foot1739
owl's crown1787
1739 J. Sparrow tr. H. F. Le Dran Observ. Surg. xxxiv. 119 An Infusion made with the Heads of White Poppies, Cat's-foot, Colt's-foot, and Maiden-hair.
1777 J. Lightfoot Flora Scotica I. 470 [Gnaphalium dioicum] Mountain Cudweed or Cat's-Foot. Anglis.
1878 in J. Britten & R. Holland Dict. Eng. Plant-names Cat's-foot.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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