cat and mouse

[kat uhn mous]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cat and mouse¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

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

Black-clad protesters — watched over by local television reporters and some independent media — played cat and mouse with the officers, stepping toward the building only to be repelled by rounds of pepper balls.

From Los Angeles Times

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

It'll always be a cat and mouse game, there will always be people developing new techniques or people getting away with things.

From BBC