cat

¹ American  

[kat] / kæt /

noun

1. a small domesticated carnivore, Felis domestica or F. catus, bred in a number of varieties.

2. any of several carnivores of the family Felidae, such as the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, etc.

3. Older Slang.

   1. a person, especially a man.

      I'll admit that I'm not the hippest cat in town but even I know that show.

   2. a devotee of jazz.

      That cat's got a great ear, but he can't sing or play himself.

4. a woman given to spiteful or malicious gossip.

5. a cat-o'-nine-tails.

6. Games.

   1. Chiefly British.  the game of tipcat, or the tapering piece of wood used in the game.

   2. one old cat, two old cat, three old cat, four old cat.

7. a catboat.

8. a catamaran.

9. a catfish.

10. Obsolete.  the fur of the domestic cat.

11. Nautical.  a tackle used in hoisting an anchor to the cathead, a projecting timber or metal beam where the anchor is secured.

12. a double tripod having six legs but resting on only three no matter how it is set down, usually used before or over a fire.

13. Navy Informal.  catapult.

14. (in medieval warfare) a movable shelter for providing protection when approaching a fortification.

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verb (used with object)

catted, catting

1. to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails.

2. Nautical.  to hoist (an anchor) and secure to a cathead, a projecting timber or metal beam where the anchor is secured.

verb (used without object)

catted, catting

1. British Slang.  to vomit.

verb phrase

1. cat around

   1. to seek sexual activity indiscriminately.

      Many of these celebrities have catted around despite being married.

   2. to spend one's time aimlessly or idly.

      We're going out to the country to hunt, explore, and just cat around a bit.

idioms

1. look like something the cat dragged in,  to look tired, unkempt, ugly, etc..

   You look like something the cat dragged in—go have a shower and a nap.

2. the cat that ate / swallowed / got the canary,  someone who is self-satisfied, proud, or pleased.

   She won the contest by a hair and walked around like the cat that ate the canary for the rest of the month.

3. bell the cat,  to attempt something formidable or dangerous.

   The question at the moment is who will bell the cat, since nobody on the board is willing to tell the CEO she's fired.

4. rain cats and dogs.  rain.

5. curiosity killed the cat.  curiosity.

6. cat got your tongue?,  (used to ask why someone is not speaking).

   You've been awfully quiet—cat got your tongue?

7. let the cat out of the bag,  to divulge a secret, especially inadvertently or carelessly.

   He let the cat out of the bag, and the surprise party wasn't a surprise after all.

8. look what the cat dragged in,  (used to acknowledge someone's arrival while implying that they look bad or are unwelcome).

   Darn it, he's here. Look what the cat dragged in!

9. enough to make a cat laugh,  very funny, outrageous, or absurd.

   Hearing these politicians talk about the lives of everyday people is enough to make a cat laugh.

10. fight like cats and dogs.  fight.

Cat ² American  

[kat] / kæt /

Trademark.

1. a Caterpillar tractor.

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CAT ³ American  

1. clear-air turbulence.

2. Medicine/Medical.  computerized axial tomography.

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cat. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. catalog; catalogue.

2. catechism.

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cat ¹ British  

/ 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

4. old-fashioned  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. informal  short for Caterpillar

10. short for cat-o'-nine-tails

11. informal  a bad-tempered person

    she's a real bag of cats this morning

12. to fight until both parties are destroyed

13. to disclose a secret, often by mistake

14. in an uneasy or agitated state

15. quarrelling savagely

16. to appear dishevelled or bedraggled

17. no chance at all

18. to have very little space

19. to play with a person or animal in a cruel or teasing way, esp before a final act of cruelty or unkindness

20. to introduce some violently disturbing new element

21. to rain very heavily

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verb

1. (tr) to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails

2. (tr) nautical to hoist (an anchor) to the cathead

3. (intr) a slang word for vomit

cat ² British  

/ kæt /

noun

1. 1. short for catalytic converter

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cat car

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adjective

1. short for catalytic

   a cat cracker

CAT ³ British  

abbreviation

1. computer-aided teaching

2. computer-assisted trading

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cat. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. catalogue

2. catamaran

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cat ⁵ British  

/ kæt /

noun

1. informal  short for catamaran

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cat More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing cat

• alley cat
• bell the cat
• curiosity killed the cat
• fat cat
• grin like a Cheshire cat
• let the cat out of the bag
• like a cat on a hot brick
• look like something the cat dragged in
• look like the cat that ate the canary
• more than one way to skin a cat
• not enough room to swing a cat
• play cat and mouse
• rain cats and dogs
• when the cat's away

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Usage

Where does the word cat come from? While cats may be more enigmatic and reclusive than dogs in real life, when it comes to the source of the word cat, it’s a bit easier to grasp.The origin of the word dog is one of the great mysteries of English etymology. Learn why in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."The word cat is recorded in Old English, and hasn't changed much since. (Hey, if it isn’t broken why fix it?) The masculine form was catt, the feminine catte.The word cat is most likely related to the Late Latin cattus, source of some other cat words you may have heard, including the Spanish gato and French chat.Now that you know how cats got their name, why not find out how some of our other most beloved pets got theirs in the slideshow: "Where Do The Words For Our Pets Come From?"

Other Word Forms

• catlike adjective
• cattish adjective

Etymology

Origin of cat

First recorded before 900; Middle English cat, catte, Old English catt (masculine), catte (feminine); cognate with Old Frisian, Middle Dutch katte, Old High German kazza, Old Norse kǫttr; akin to Late Latin cattus, catta (first recorded in the 4th century, presumably with the introduction of domestic cats); further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

“All of the sudden, it burst open and ten, maybe 15 cats jumped out, running all over the place, under the tables, under the sisters’ skirts.

From Salon

Even his cat, Boo, is terrified of their downstairs neighbor, he added.

From Los Angeles Times

Her streams can last 11 hours so she has to ensure she eats regularly and spends time away from the keyboard - usually watching anime, playing with her cat or reading.

From BBC

Federal regulators call it a growing epidemic, and stopping the thieves has become a game of cat and mouse for law enforcement.

From The Wall Street Journal

Clara posted a carousel photo on Instagram with tigers, an elk, a horse, and cats and dogs.

From BBC

Related Words

• bobcat
• caracal
• cheetah
• cougar
• jaguar
• leopard
• lion
• lynx
• mountain lion
• ocelot
• panther
• puma
• tiger
• wildcat