Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want [Joseph Wood Krutch – The Twelve Seasons]When I play with my cat, who knows whether she isn't amusing herself with me more than I am with her? [Montaigne – Essais]
proverbs
When the cat's away, the mice will playThe cat would eat fish, but would not wet her feetAll cats are grey in the dark
Synonyms of 'cat'
cat
Explore 'cat' in the dictionary
cat
(kæt)
Word forms: plural cats
1. countable noun
A cat is a furry animal that has a long tail and sharp claws. Cats are often kept as pets.
2. countable noun
Cats are lions, tigers, and other wild animals in the same family.
3. See also Cheshire cat, fat cat, wildcat
4.
See to let the cat out of the bag
5.
See curiosity killed the cat
6.
See look like something the cat dragged in
7.
See game of cat and mouse
8.
See to put the cat among the pigeons
9.
See no room to swing a cat
More Synonyms of cat
cat in British English1
(kæt)
noun
1. Also called: domestic cat
a small domesticated feline mammal, Felis catus (or domesticus), having thick soft fur and occurring in many breeds in which the colour of the fur varies greatly: kept as a pet or to catch rats and mice
2. Also called: big cat
any of the larger felines, such as a lion or tiger
3.
any wild feline mammal of the genus Felis, such as the lynx or serval, resembling the domestic cat
▶ Related adjective: feline
4. old-fashioned, derogatory
a woman who gossips maliciously
5. slang
a man; guy
6. nautical
a heavy tackle for hoisting an anchor to the cathead
7.
a short sharp-ended piece of wood used in the game of tipcat
8. short for catboat
9. short for cat-o'-nine-tails
10. a bag of cats
11. fight like Kilkenny cats
12. let the cat out of the bag
13. like a cat on a hot tin roof
14. like cat and dog
15. look like something the cat brought in
16. not a cat in hell's chance
17. not have room to swing a cat
18. play cat and mouse
19. put the cat among the pigeons
20. rain cats and dogs
verbWord forms: cats, catting or catted
21. (transitive)
to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails
22. (transitive) nautical
to hoist (an anchor) to the cathead
23. (intransitive) a slang word for vomit
Derived forms
catlike (ˈcatˌlike)
adjective
cattish (ˈcattish)
adjective
Word origin
Old English catte, from Latin cattus; related to Old Norse köttr, Old High German kazza, Old French chat, Russian kot
cat in British English2
(kæt)
noun
informal short for catamaran (sense 1)
cat in British English3
(kæt)
noun
1.
a. short for catalytic converter
b.
(as modifier)
a cat car
adjective
2. short for catalytic
a cat cracker
CAT in British English
abbreviation for
1.
computer-aided teaching
2.
computer-assisted trading
3.
computerized axial tomography
cat. in British English
abbreviation for
1.
catalogue
2.
catamaran
CAT in American English
clear-air turbulence
cat in American English1
(kæt)
nounWord forms: pluralcats or cat
1.
any of a family (Felidae) of carnivores, including the lion, tiger, cougar, etc., characterized by a lithe body and, in all species but the cheetah, retractile claws
2.
a small, lithe, soft-furred animal (Felis cattus) of this family, domesticated since ancient times and often kept as a pet or forkilling mice
3.
a.
a person regarded as a cat in some way
b.
a woman who makes spiteful remarks
4.
cat-o'-nine-tails
5. US
a catfish
6.
a catboat
7.
tipcat
8. US, Slang
a.
a jazz musician or enthusiast
b.
any person, esp. a man
9. Nautical
a tackle for hoisting an anchor to the cathead
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcatted or ˈcatting
10.
to hoist (an anchor) to the cathead
Idioms:
cat around
let the cat out of the bag
Word origin
ME & OE, both < a general European root < LL cattus; prob. of Afr orig.
cat in American English2
1.
catalog
2.
catechism
More idioms containing
cat
curiosity killed the cat
there's more than one way to skin a cat
there isn't room to swing a cat
see which way the cat jumps
put the cat among the pigeons
look like something the cat dragged in
like the cat that got the cream
like a scalded cat
like a cat on hot bricks
let the cat out of the bag
grin like a Cheshire cat
fight like cat and dog
a fat cat
cat and mouse
Examples of 'cat' in a sentence
cat
There is always something nice about having a cat.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
HERE'S one fat cat who looks like greed has really got the better of him.
The Sun (2016)
And if you want a career untroubled by scandal you should probably get a cat.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Is it safe to let my cat outside?
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
And then the fluffy white cat walked through the blood.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The media worker began last year with a sketch of the family 's cat.
The Sun (2016)
Not a cat's chance in hell.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Fighting government cats are GO!
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is a wonderful anthology of writing about cats and dogs by young pups and old hounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Why did no one tell me sooner how silky cat fur is?
Bachmann, Susan (editor) & Barth, Melinda Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric and Handbook (1995)
At times we fought like cat and dog.
The Sun (2013)
She called out that she was worried about the family cat.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This ceramic bowl is perfect for the cat that always gets the cream.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Its big cats are eating mango as meat is scarce.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why do they fight other cats who look perfectly all right to us?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It would be letting the cat out the bag to say just what that feature is.
The Sun (2011)
They have more chance of herding cats.
The Sun (2014)
What lets the cat out of the bag is the price.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Show them pictures of funny cats or something.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
When is a cat not an animal?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We play cat and mouse for about ten miles.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This variation is especially useful when drawing different kinds of fur on cats.
Bennett, Darren Learn to Draw Cats (1999)
Think about getting a cat instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Own a white cat and spend their weekends wandering through the nearby Marais.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We still compete with each other like cat and dog when we're sailing at weekends.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Quotations
Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you wantJoseph Wood KrutchThe Twelve Seasons
When I play with my cat, who knows whether she isn't amusing herself with me more than I am with her?MontaigneEssais
When the cat's away, the mice will play
The cat would eat fish, but would not wet her feet
All cats are grey in the dark
Word lists with
cat
related adjectives, male animals, female animals, baby and young animals, carnivore
In other languages
cat
British English: cat /kæt/ NOUN
A cat is a small furry animal with a tail, whiskers, and sharp claws.