cat's-paw

or cats·paw

[ kats-paw ]

/ ˈkætsˌpɔ /

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See synonyms for cat's-paw on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person used to serve the purposes of another; tool.

Nautical.

a hitch made in the bight of a rope so that two eyes are formed to hold the hook of one block of a tackle.
a light breeze that ruffles the surface of the water over a comparatively small area.
the small area ruffled by such a breeze.

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Origin of cat's-paw

First recorded in 1760–70; in allusion to the fable Le Singe et le Chat “The Monkey and the Cat,” by Jean de La Fontaine, in which the monkey, trying to save its own paw, uses the paw of a cat to retrieve roasted chestnuts out of a fire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cat's-paw in a sentence

We did a movie down in Durango — Great Scout and Cat House Thursday.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“A guy drives up in a 2008 Mercedes, brand new,” Harry S. Connelly Jr. says in the video, according to the Times.
Are Police Stealing People’s Property?|Joan Blades, Matt Kibbe|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Personal hotspots can get speeds of up to 60 Mb/s down, whereas hotel Wi-Fi can be as slow as 1.5 Mb/s,” Sesar said.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In our headlong quest for a legally perfect society, we don’t take the time to take stock of what‘s been created so far.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Alastair Sim had jowls like melting candle wax, a snarl like a cornered cat and eyes cold with contempt.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas|Clive Irving|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A lateen sail was visible in the direction of Cat Island, and others to the south seemed almost motionless in the far distance.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The left heel followed like lightning, and the right paw also slipped, letting the bear again fall heavily on the ice below.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
The bear watched him narrowly with its wicked little eyes, though it did not see fit to cease its paw-licking.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
Ajoutez cecy, s'il vous plaist, la grande difficult qu'il y a de tirer d'eux les mots mesmes qu'ils ont.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
And if he was worried about Farmer Green's cat, why didn't he dig a hole for himself at once, and get out of harm's way?
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey

British Dictionary definitions for cat's-paw

cat's-paw

noun

a person used by another as a tool; dupe

nautical a hitch in the form of two loops, or eyes, in the bight of a line, used for attaching it to a hook

a pattern of ripples on the surface of water caused by a light wind

Word Origin for cat's-paw

(sense 1) C18: so called from the tale of the monkey who used a cat's paw to draw chestnuts out of a fire

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with cat's-paw

cat's paw

A dupe or tool for another, a sucker, as in You always try to make a cat's paw of me, but I refuse to do any more of your work. This term alludes to a very old tale about a monkey that persuades a cat to pull chestnuts out of the fire so as to avoid burning its own paws. The story dates from the 16th century and versions of it (some with a dog) exist in many languages.

cat's-paw

or cats·paw

Origin of cat's-paw

Words related to cat's-paw

How to use cat's-paw in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cat's-paw

Word Origin for cat's-paw

Other Idioms and Phrases with cat's-paw