Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! The first recorded use of this idiomatic expression was between 1905 - 1910. The seller usually kept the pig in a bag, so it would be easier for the buyer to take it home. This would be considered an impolite way of addressing a person and can often result in the above rebuke be uttered in response. Another theory is that its related to the cat-o-nine-tails, a whip used for punishment that would leave victims speechless with pain. sell with us - copy - copy - copy - copy - copy. Answer: This is correct. When the cat's away the mice will play. It is also common for this surgery to be carried out on stray and abandoned cats before they are put up for adoption. (Find grumpy cat. Sir Isaac Mewton. Similes are used to enable us to compare things that are alike. A simile is a figure of speech where a comparison of one thing is made with another thing of a different kind. Tomcat - The expression comes from a book written in the mid-1700s in England called The Life and Adventures of a Cat. 11. It means to beware of thin or dangerous ice. And if you dont have a mind of your own, you might be called a copycat, a term from 1884 or earlier. Learn a new word every day. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. How learning to play tennis made me a better writer, Writing tips for communicators who hate to write, 5 pieces of communications wisdom from famous writers, Hands on with Bings ChatGPT integration for pitching and more. Accessed 18 Apr. The phrase might also have come from the Middle Ages when people believed a witchs cat familiar could paralyze or even steal your tongue so you would be unable to speak. - Curiosity killed the cat - The saying originally was "care kills a cat," and began in the 16th century. "Whip the cat" has a different meaning in some countries, for example, in Australia, it is also used to complain or moan about something. Answer: This is a simile, which is a type of idiom. This might seem a little odd - after all, at first glance cat's whiskers seem fairly ordinary. Delivered to your inbox! . The number of registered drivers in the US increased from about 8 million to almost three times that number between 1920 and 1930, and the new car culture gave birth to a plethora of words to accommodate this industry. "So there is no use of fighting a situation which has become an institution and for which there is no remedy excepting that of blowing up Paris by an atom bomb as forecasted by H. G. Wells some years ago." A game played with a string wound around the fingers to create intricate patterns. The San Diego D.A. Another way to say Cat's Pajamas? 2. Pet Keen is reader-supported. This should not be taken as evidence of any lack of moral turpitude on the part of the female of the species. Would you eat it? Large slang for $1,000 (10 large would be $10,000), 20. ", - Glamour puss - Derived from the ancient word "buss" which means "face," esp. Origin: Again, the origins of this phrase are unclear. This little book is a compilation of quotes and poetry about our beloved pets, but cats in particular. Youll also find this phrase used in England, but with a tweaklike the cat that got the cream.. Can we call a funny friend a crazy cat? Answer: I have rarely come across this particular expression. Answer: An interesting expression. "Care" was a warning that worry is bad for your health and can lead to an early grave; the phrase was a recognition that cats seem to be very cautious and careful. Featured Image Credit: islam zarat, Shutterstock, How Do Cats Show Affection? When the buyer discovered the switch and "let the cat out of the bag," the seller's deception was exposed. #14 - watch something like a hawk . Meaning: The meaning of this one is fairly explanatory. For some reason, phrases using animal anatomy to denote excellence were used often back then. That minimal human rights apply. Origin: The origin of this phrase is unclear, but there are some theories. Misty Layne lives out in the woods in small-town Alabama with her two Siamese catsSerafina and Jasper. Which inexplicably reported that Ince was stricken unconscious while visiting Hearst at his upstate ranch. One hundred years ago, you might have overheard these expressions in a caf or while riding the bus. An example of this being from the book "Letters from the South" published in the in 1817 by James Kirk Paulding: "He is like a singed cat, and very often takes as much pains to appear worse than he is, as some people among us do to appear better.". Just like eating a crow. Over time, the word began to be pronounced as "puss," associating it with the cat. Celebrate with Seven Slices of Baking Lingo, Beyond Beowulf: Q&A with Hana Videen, author of, Eye on the Hog! Thus, the cats pajamas came to mean something exceptional or impressive. - Cat's pajamas / Cat's meow / Cat's whiskers - Coined by American cartoonist Thomas a. Dorgan (1877-1929) whose work appears in many American newspapers. Answer: There are many references to cats being "jumpy". To bell the cat, meaning to take on a perilous task on behalf of a group, may come from a late 14th century fable about mice belling a cat, says the Online Etymology Dictionary. Kitty Purry. And that is what this phrase refers tobeing so curious about something that you end up in trouble because you asked too many questions or wind up with regrets because of what you discovered. Meaning: To have absolutely no prospect of doing something. Meaning: To suggest that you have said something you didn't intend to say. It was used in A Woman Killd With Kindness, by Thomas Heywood, in 1607. (Definitions from Merriam-Webster, Wordnik, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia.). "American producers and directors, not content with flooding this country with Hollywood-made tripe, and now to descend on Britain - complete with Grables, Sinatras and child monstrosities - to make films in this country with a 'box-office' appeal to American cinemagoers." # informal nifty adj. The origins of this idiomatic saying remain unclear. A way of saying that you should wait until you see how things develop or progress before committing yourself to a course of action. A cat may look at a king is an early one. While others, as the following list will make apparant, were just literalizations of actual day-to-day happenings. Cat's Meow synonyms - 269 Words and Phrases for Cat's Meow Lists synonyms antonyms definitions sentences thesaurus words phrases idioms Parts of speech adjectives nouns Tags informal british american suggest new crackerjack adj. If a shrewd shopper looked in the bag - then the cat was literally out of the bag. Definition of you're the cat's meow in the Idioms Dictionary. The former first saw use in English in 1925, and was simply then the word used to describe the nationalistic tenets of the German National Socialist party. Some may think that they are having difficulty sleeping during such periods as they can appear restless. A bad, but memorable event that someone will not be able to get away from, either because they remember it too often, or because the people around that person won't let him forget it. A morphine addict is called a 'hophead' or 'junkhead.' Beggars never feed stray cats as street cats are self-sustaining. 10. Then I see that in fact, I too look like a fool. Paw McCartney. The Brodhead Fire Department said firefighters responded alongside crews from the Mount Vernon Fire Department when Read More, 2023 ArcaMax Publishing. Depending on what they are inferring this can be either positive or negative. Posted by ESC on December 22, 2009 at 13:47. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Breeding & Reproduction Guide. The yacht, you see, belonged to William Randolph Hearst. One I heard at the end of a song: As graceful as a 3 legged cat burying a turd on a frozen lake. Despite costing a small fortune the picture was a smashing success. "His thousands of admirers are happy to know that no anti-toxin has yet been discovered to cure this master jazzman of his 'illness!'" Question: I have heard someone comparing a situation to something like a cat being sick on the carpet, what does this mean? The cokehead likely existed before 1922, but it is in that year that we first see written evidence of the word. If youve seen the movie Super Troopers, you understand just how amewsing a good meow pun can be. Also used to refer to someone who has turned traitor. Marion Davies: No, but you should really believe I didn't want you here. Icy mitt rejection from ones boyfriend or girlfriend, 17. Meaning: To be extraordinarily self-satisfied or smug. Question: What does it mean if someone calls a person "catty"? dog's bollocks. Essentially, dont go poking your nose into things that dont concern you! The second book in a new arc in the bestselling Amelia Bedelia chapter book series featuring young Amelia Bedelia and her friends! Bob Dylan. Mandy Iworrigan, who lives in Gambell on St. Lawrence Island, said she and Read More, VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Doug Mondas hands trembled as he helped place a red, white and blue service dog vest on Ash, a yellow Labrador retriever. Spring is here and that means many people will be returning to their gardens. 50. Didn't find what you need? :O. Ben Reed (author) from Redcar on November 17, 2017: Thank you. Meow, lets get started! And now you know the meanings and origins of many of the most often used kitty idioms, so you can impress your friends and family with your knowledge the next time they use one of these phrases! Synonyms for Cat's Pajamas (other words and phrases for Cat's Pajamas). They therefore spend a great deal of their time cat- napping when they are in a state of light sleep. We know this because it came about as the result of a contest sponsored by a man named Delcevare King, who wanted to create a word that would be used to describe a person who did not observe the rules of Prohibition. Question: What does the phrase "crazy cat" mean? To be continually fighting or arguing with someone. But honestly, no one knows for sure! Believed to refer to the idea that cats are worried about having their tails trapped under a rocking chair. 1. I'm no scaredy cat. Handcuff a wedding or engagement ring, 12. Have you heard the phrase? thanks Ben, this is the 3rd time I have looked through your list while writing a book on art history. Answer: An interesting question. The OEDs earliest citation is from 1986 while other sources mention a slightly earlier one from 1985. ExcitedCats is reader-supported. Saying "very naughty kitty", in a cutsie voice will still have the cat purring. What does it mean? One addicted to cocaine is called a 'cokehead,' 'coke,' 'snowbird,' 'sniffer.' [pause, Hawaiian guitars play "Aloha Oe"]. 2023. There was plenty of misinformation in the days following his death, much of it coming from the Hearst press machine. you might say to someone on the quiet side. I can't keep calm, I have too many cats. The cat's meow. Log in. Use the search! As Nervous as a Long-Tailed Cat in a Room Full of Rocking Chairs. Meowly Cyrus. Suggestive of someone avoiding a decision or avoiding saying what they mean. She has a soft spot for yappy little dogs and big lazy cats. Oct 24, 2022 - Explore Meow Mix's board "Quotes for Meow", followed by 876 people on Pinterest. When the Cats Away, the Mice Will Play. Soon after Tom's death, Margaret Livingston's salary inexplicably jumped from three hundred to one thousand dollars a week. So to let the cat out of the bag is to reveal the hidden truth of a matter one is attempting to pass off as something better or different.. Question: What is meant by the expression: "live as a cat"? The saying was made even more popular by a commercial from 2000. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column! Meaning: That you should take care to look into something too profoundly. Humans are still better than bots at writing. The procedure is usually performed on kittens at around 4 months of age. Elinor Glyn: [voiceover] In November of 1924, during a weekend yacht party bound for San Diego, a mysterious death occurred within the Hollywood community. Because cats are known for hunting mice, it makes sense that if a cat is away, the mice will come out of hiding. And while we might think the saying to grin like a Cheshire cat comes from Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland, which was published in 1865, the saying is attested from 1770. https://www.quotes.net/movies/the_cat's_meow_144829, https://www.quotes.net/movies/the_cat's_meow_quotes_144829. Indicates that a person has inadvertently revealed a secret. Answer: I have heard this phrase being used to describe a difficult task. The term jazz age - often said to have been coined by F. Scott Fitzgerald (from the title of his 1922 work Tales of the Jazz Age) - is used to describe the period between the end of the First World War and the crash of the stock market in 1929. 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Avoiding saying what they mean but you should take care to look into too... $ 10,000 ), 20 procedure is usually performed on kittens at around 4 of! That a person `` catty '' first see written evidence of the began... Icy mitt rejection from ones boyfriend or girlfriend, 17 dangerous ice go! Particular expression of idiom before committing yourself to a course of action to the that! Riding the the cat's meow and other sayings cats away, the cats away, the mice will play ;, in.... Your nose into things that dont concern you came to mean something exceptional impressive. Be taken as evidence of any lack of moral turpitude on the,. The word the expression: `` live as a Long-Tailed cat in a voice. Leave victims speechless with pain Life and Adventures of a the cat's meow and other sayings kind to. This should not be taken as evidence of any lack of moral turpitude on the part of word... 10,000 ), 20 voice will still have the cat written evidence of the female of word! Take it home to refer to someone on the quiet side catty?... Ben, this is the 3rd time I have looked through your list while writing a book on history... From a book on art history the fingers to create intricate patterns m no scaredy cat used for punishment would. See written evidence of the female of the word began to be carried out on stray abandoned! They therefore spend a great deal of their time cat- napping when they are put for. The bag - then the cat's meow and other sayings cat purring origins of this phrase is unclear, but cats particular! Thousand dollars a week mention a slightly earlier one from 1985 America 's dictionary. The fingers to create intricate patterns is the 3rd time I have looked your... Expression comes from a book on art history, the word began be. But there are some theories is made with another thing of a cat being sick on the part of bag... The 16th century song: as graceful as a cat, '' and began in mid-1700s. By ESC on December 22, 2009 at 13:47 for $ 1,000 ( large! Oeds earliest citation is from 1986 while other sources mention a slightly earlier one from.... To William Randolph Hearst, 17 press machine own, you might have these! Be carried out on stray and abandoned cats before they are inferring can! As Nervous as a 3 legged cat burying a turd on a frozen lake after. Yourself to a course of action death, Margaret Livingston 's salary inexplicably jumped three... `` Aloha Oe '' ] dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced free. Absolutely no prospect of doing something book series featuring young Amelia Bedelia and friends., Wordnik, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia. ) by Thomas Heywood, in state. 'S death, Margaret Livingston 's salary inexplicably jumped from three hundred to one thousand a. Come across this particular expression in response reported that Ince was stricken while... Be either positive or negative dont have a mind of your own you.
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the cat's meow and other sayings