cat

[[t]kæ̱t[/t]]

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cats

1) N-COUNT A cat is a furry animal that has a long tail and sharp claws. Cats are often kept as pets.

2) N-COUNT Cats are lions, tigers, and other wild animals in the same family.

3) → See also , fat cat, wildcat

4) PHRASE: V inflects If you let the cat out of the bag, you tell people about something that was being kept secret. You often do this by mistake.

5) PHRASE You say `Curiosity killed the cat' in order to tell someone that they should not try to find out about something which does not concern them.

`All right, I've been reading it. So what?' - `Curiosity killed the cat, that's what.'

6) PHRASE: Vs inflect If you look like something the cat dragged in or brought in, you are very untidy or dirty.

I must look like something the cat dragged in.

7) PHRASE: usu v PHR, PHR n In a fight or contest, if one person plays cat and mouse, or a game of cat and mouse, with the other, the first person tries to confuse or deceive the second in order to defeat them.

After three hours of playing cat and mouse, they threatened to open fire on our vessel, so we stopped...

It's a cat-and-mouse game to him.

8) PHRASE: V inflects If you put the cat among the pigeons or set the cat among the pigeons, you cause fierce argument or discussion by doing or saying something. [BRIT]

The bank is poised to put the cat among the pigeons this morning by slashing the cost of borrowing.

9) PHRASE: with brd-neg, usu v-link PHR If you say `There's no room to swing a cat' or `You can't swing a cat', you mean that the place you are talking about is very small or crowded.

It was described as a large, luxury mobile home, but there was barely room to swing a cat.