cat and mouse

American  

[kat uhn mous] / ˈkæt ən ˈmaʊs /

noun

1. Also called cat and rat.  a children's game in which players in a circle keep a player from moving into or out of the circle and permit a second player to move into or out of the circle to escape the pursuing first player.

2. Western U.S. tick-tack-toe.

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idioms

1. play cat and mouse with,

   1. to toy or trifle with.

   2. to use strategy on one's opponent, especially while waiting to strike.

      The detective played cat and mouse with the suspect.

2. play cat and mouse, to engage in a gamelike relationship in which evasion and pursuit are used.

   They played cat and mouse for a while before she consented to go out with him.

Etymology

Origin of cat and mouse

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

When Neves Valente left the bathroom, John got suspicious and followed him, and the pair played “a game of cat and mouse” on foot through the neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

For his part, Alexander remembers a game of "cat and mouse" with the manager who he felt perhaps "didn't want to be put under the microscope".

From BBC

The days ahead will be peppered with captain and player news conferences, a game of cat and mouse with the media trying to elicit controversial comments that could light a blue touch paper.

From BBC

While emergency responders were focused on controlling the flames at lower elevations, thousands of climbers, backpackers and other mountain enthusiasts played a dangerous game of cat and mouse with storms on the state’s storied summits.

From Los Angeles Times