Cat

Cat, kat, n. a common domestic animal kept to devour mice: a spiteful woman: a movable pent-house used for their protection by besiegers: a double tripod with six legs: a piece of wood tapering at each end, struck with the Cat-stick in the game of tip-cat, this game itself: short for the Cat-o'-nine′-tails, an instrument of punishment consisting of a whip with nine tails or lashes, with three or four knots on each, once used in the army and navy.—v.t. to raise the anchor to the cathead.—ns. Cat′amount, a common name in the United States for the cougar or puma—also called Panther, Painter, and American lion; Catamoun′tain, or Cat o' mountain, a leopard, panther, or ocelot: a wild mountaineer.—adj. ferocious, savage.—adj. Cat-and-dog, used attributively for quarrelsome.—ns. Cat′-bird, an American bird of the thrush family, so called on account of the resemblance of its note to the mewing of a cat; Cat′-call, a squeaking instrument used in theatres to express dislike of a play: a shrill whistle or cry.—v.i. to sound a cat-call.—v.t. to assail with such.—adj. Cat′-eyed, having eyes like a cat: able to see in the dark.—n. Cat′gut, a kind of cord made from the intestines of animals, and used as strings for violins, harps, guitars, &c., the cords of clock-makers, &c.: the violin or other stringed instrument: a coarse corded cloth.—adj. Cat′-hammed, with thin hams like a cat's.—ns. Cat′head, one of two strong beams of timber projecting from the bow of a ship, on each side of the bowsprit, through which the ropes pass by which the anchor is raised; Cat′-hole, one of two holes in the after part of a ship, through which hawsers may pass for steadying the ship or for heaving astern; Cat′hood, state of being a cat or having the nature of a cat; Cat′kin, a crowded spike or tuft of small unisexual flowers with reduced scale-like bracts, as in the willow, hazel, &c.; Cat′-lap, any thin or poor drink.—adj. Cat′-like, noiseless, stealthy.—ns. Cat′ling, a little cat, a kitten: the downy moss on some trees, like the fur of a cat: (Shak.) a lute-string; Cat′mint, a perennial plant resembling mint, said to be so called from the fondness cats have for it; Cat's′-crā′dle, a game played by children, two alternately taking from each other's fingers an intertwined cord, so as always to maintain a symmetrical figure; Cat's′-eye, a beautiful variety of quartz, so called from the resemblance which the reflection of light from it bears to the light that seems to emanate from the eye of a cat; Cat's-foot, a plant, called also Ground-ivy; Cat′-sil′ver, a variety of silvery mica; Cat's′-meat, horses' flesh, or the like, sold for cats by street dealers; Cat's′-paw (naut.), a light breeze: the dupe or tool of another—from the fable of the monkey who used the paws of the cat to draw the roasting chestnuts out of the fire; Cat's′-tail, a catkin: a genus of aquatic plants of the reed kind, the leaves of which are sometimes used for making mats, seating chairs, &c.: a kind of grass.—adj. Cat′-wit′ted, small-minded, conceited, and spiteful.—Catted and fished, said of an anchor raised to the cathead and secured to the ship's side.—Bell the cat (see Bell).—Care killed the cat, even with his proverbial nine lives.—Cheshire cats are proverbially notable for grinning, and Kilkenny cats proverbially fight till each destroys the other.—Rain cats and dogs, to pour down heavily.—See which way the cat jumps, to watch how things are going to turn before committing one's self.—Turn the cat in the pan, to change sides with dexterity.—For Gib-cat, Tabby-cat, Tom-cat, see under Gib, Tabby, &c. [A.S. cat; found also in Celt., Slav., Ar., Finn, &c.]