cat

[ kat ]

/ kæt /

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noun

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

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

Slang.

a person, especially a man.
a devotee of jazz.

a woman given to spiteful or malicious gossip.

the fur of the domestic cat.

a cat-o'-nine-tails.

Games.

Chiefly British. the tapering piece of wood used in the game of tipcat.
Chiefly British. the game itself.
four old cat, one old cat, three old cat, two old cat.

a catboat.

a catamaran.

a catfish.

Nautical. a tackle used in hoisting an anchor to the cathead.

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.

Navy Informal. catapult(def 2).

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

verb (used with object), cat·ted, cat·ting.

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

Nautical. to hoist (an anchor) and secure to a cathead.

verb (used without object), cat·ted, cat·ting.

British Slang. to vomit.

Verb Phrases

cat around, Slang.

to spend one's time aimlessly or idly.
to seek sexual activity indiscriminately; tomcat.

Nearby words

Idioms

bell the cat, to attempt something formidable or dangerous.

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.

Origin of cat

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, Irish cat, Welsh cath (Slavic *kotŭ, Lithuanian katė̃ perhaps < Gmc), Late Latin cattus, catta (first attested in the 4th century, presumably with the introduction of domestic cats); ultimately origin obscure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 4)

CAT

abbreviation for

computer-aided teaching

computer-assisted trading

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (2 of 4)

cat

/ (kæt) /

noun

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

Also called: big cat any of the larger felines, such as a lion or tiger

any wild feline mammal of the genus Felis, such as the lynx or serval, resembling the domestic catRelated adjective: feline

old-fashioned a woman who gossips maliciously

slang a man; guy

nautical a heavy tackle for hoisting an anchor to the cathead

a short sharp-ended piece of wood used in the game of tipcat

short for catboat

informal short for Caterpillar

short for cat-o'-nine-tails

a bag of cats Irish informal a bad-tempered personshe's a real bag of cats this morning

fight like Kilkenny cats to fight until both parties are destroyed

let the cat out of the bag to disclose a secret, often by mistake

like a cat on a hot tin roof or like a cat on hot bricks in an uneasy or agitated state

like cat and dog quarrelling savagely

look like something the cat brought in to appear dishevelled or bedraggled

not a cat in hell's chance no chance at all

not have room to swing a cat to have very little space

play cat and mouse to play with a person or animal in a cruel or teasing way, esp before a final act of cruelty or unkindness

put the cat among the pigeons to introduce some violently disturbing new element

rain cats and dogs to rain very heavily

verb cats, catting or catted

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

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

(intr) a slang word for vomit

Derived Formscatlike, adjectivecattish, adjective

Word Origin for cat

Old English catte, from Latin cattus; related to Old Norse köttr, Old High German kazza, Old French chat, Russian kot

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (3 of 4)

cat

/ (kæt) /

noun

informal short for catamaran (def. 1)

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (4 of 4)

cat

/ (kæt) /

noun

short for catalytic converter
(as modifier)a cat car

adjective

short for catalytic a cat cracker

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

Word Origin and History for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

cat

Old English catt (c.700), from West Germanic (c.400-450), from Proto-Germanic *kattuz (cf. Old Frisian katte, Old Norse köttr, Dutch kat, Old High German kazza, German Katze), from Late Latin cattus.

The near-universal European word now, it appeared in Europe as Latin catta (Martial, c.75 C.E.), Byzantine Greek katta (c.350) and was in general use on the continent by c.700, replacing Latin feles. Probably ultimately Afro-Asiatic (cf. Nubian kadis, Berber kadiska, both meaning "cat"). Arabic qitt "tomcat" may be from the same source. Cats were domestic in Egypt from c.2000 B.C.E., but not a familiar household animal to classical Greeks and Romans. The nine lives have been proverbial since at least 1560s.

The Late Latin word also is the source of Old Irish and Gaelic cat, Welsh kath, Breton kaz, Italian gatto, Spanish gato, French chat (12c.). Independent, but ultimately from the same source are words in the Slavic group: Old Church Slavonic kotuka, kotel'a, Bulgarian kotka, Russian koška, Polish kot, along with Lithuanian kate and non-Indo-European Finnish katti, which is from Lithuanian.

Extended to lions, tigers, etc. c.1600. As a term of contempt for a woman, from early 13c. Slang sense of "prostitute" is from at least c.1400. Slang sense of "fellow, guy," is from 1920, originally in U.S. Black English; narrower sense of "jazz enthusiast" is recorded from 1931.

Cat's paw (1769, but cat's foot in the same sense, 1590s) refers to old folk tale in which the monkey tricks the cat into pawing chestnuts from a fire; the monkey gets the nuts, the cat gets a burnt paw. Cat bath "hurried or partial cleaning" is from 1953. Cat burglar is from 1907, so called for stealth. Cat-witted "small-minded, obstinate, and spiteful" (1670s) deserved to survive. For Cat's meow, cat's pajamas, see bee's knees.

Word Origin and History for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

CAT

1975, medical acronym for computerized axial tomography or something like it. Related: CAT scan.

Medicine definitions for let the cat out of the bag

CAT

abbr.

computerized axial tomography

Culture definitions for let the cat out of the bag

let the cat out of the bag

To disclose a secret: “The mayor's visit was to be kept strictly confidential, but someone must have let the cat out of the bag, because the airport was swarming with reporters.”

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

let the cat out of the bag

Give away a secret, as in Mom let the cat out of the bag and told us Karen was engaged. This expression alludes to the dishonest practice of a merchant substituting a worthless cat for a valuable pig, which is discovered only when the buyer gets home and opens the bag. [Mid-1700s] Also see pig in a poke.

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (2 of 2)

cat

In addition to the idioms beginning with cat

cat got one's tongue

also see:

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

cat

noun

verb (used with object), cat·ted, cat·ting.

verb (used without object), cat·ted, cat·ting.

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of cat

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 4)

CAT

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (2 of 4)

cat

noun

verb cats, catting or catted

Word Origin for cat

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (3 of 4)

cat

noun

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (4 of 4)

cat

noun

adjective

Word Origin and History for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

cat

Word Origin and History for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

CAT

Medicine definitions for let the cat out of the bag

CAT

abbr.

Culture definitions for let the cat out of the bag

let the cat out of the bag

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

let the cat out of the bag

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (2 of 2)

cat