cat /kæt/► SEE ALL(play) cat and mouse (with sb)(has the) cat got your tongue?the cat’s whiskers/pyjamaslet the cat out of the bag(look) like sth the cat brought/dragged inlike a cat on hot brickslike the cat that got, stole, etc. the creamnot have a cat in hell’s chanceput/set the cat among the pigeonswhen the cat’s away the mice will playcuriosity killed the cata fat catfight like cat and doggrin like a Cheshire catno room to swing a catthere’s more than one way to skin a cat ●(play) cat and ˈmouse (with sb) (informal) (keep sb) in a state of uncertainty, being sometimes kind, sometimes cruel（和某人玩起）猫捉老鼠的游戏；对…欲擒故纵；耍弄◆The police were playing cat and mouse with him; letting him feel safe in the hope that he would make a mistake and then they could arrest him. 警方对他欲擒故纵，给他一种很安全的错觉，其实是想趁他出错时把他抓住。◆The authorities have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with the protestors. 当局与抗议者玩起了猫捉老鼠的游戏。NOTE This expression refers to the way a cat plays with a mouse before killing it.这个表达法原指猫在咬死老鼠之前会先耍弄它一番。●(has the) cat got your tongue? (informal) why don’t you say anything?你怎么不吭声◆What’s the matter — cat got your tongue? 你怎么了，像个闷葫芦似的？●the cat’s ˈwhiskers/pyˈjamas (informal, oftenironic) the best person, idea, thing, etc.最棒的人（或主意、事物等）◆She thinks she’s the cat’s whiskers. 她自以为了不起。●let the ˈcat out of the bag (informal) make known a secret, usually without realizing what you are doing（无意中）泄露秘密◆‘Who let the cat out of the bag?’ ‘I’m afraid I did. I thought everybody already knew.’ “是谁泄露了秘密？”“恐怕是我，我还以为大家已经知道了。”◆Nobody knew she had been offered the job until her husband let the cat out of the bag. 直到她丈夫无意中说漏了嘴，大家才知道原来这份工作已经给了她。OPPkeep sth under your hat●(look) like sth the ˈcat brought/dragged in (informal) (look) dirty and untidy（看起来）肮脏凌乱◆Where have you been? You look like something the cat dragged in! 你刚去哪儿了？你看上去邋遢极了！●like a ˌcat on hot ˈbricks (BrE) (NAmE, less frequentlike a ˌcat on a hot tin ˈroof) (informal) very nervous局促不安；如坐针毡；像热锅上的蚂蚁◆He’ll be like a cat on hot bricks till he gets his exam results. 他在知道考试结果前会一直局促不安。●like the ˌcat that got, stole, etc. the ˈcreamvery pleased or satisfied with yourself洋洋得意；沾沾自喜；心满意足◆Ever since she won that prize, she’s been like the cat that got the cream. 自从得奖之后，她一直神气得很。●not have a cat in ˈhell’s chance ( not have a ˈdog’s chance) (informal) have no chance at all毫无机会◆You haven’t got a cat in hell’s chance of buying a decent car for that amount. 那点钱根本就不可能买到一辆像样的车。OPPa sporting chance●put/set the cat among the ˈpigeons (BrE, informal) do sth that is likely to cause trouble引起麻烦；招惹是非◆She told all the staff they would have to cancel their holidays, and that really set the cat among the pigeons. 她告诉所有的员工都必须取消假期，这引起了轩然大波。●when the cat’s aˈway the mice will ˈplay (saying) people enjoy themselves more and behave with greater freedom when the person in charge of them is not there猫儿不在，鼠儿自在（指管事的不在时下面的人自由自在）●curiosity killed the ˈcat (saying) used to tell sb not to ask so many questions, especially in reply to a question that you do not want to answer好奇心会杀死猫儿；过于好奇会惹祸上身◆‘Are you two thinking of getting married by any chance?’ ‘Now, now. Curiosity killed the cat!’“你们两个人是不是要结婚了？”“好啦，不要管闲事！”●a ˈfat cat (informal, disapproving) a person who earns, or has, a lot of money (especially when compared to people who do not earn much)富翁；大亨；阔佬◆The company director is described as a fat cat, who enjoys his luxury lifestyle but doesn’t care about his employees.据说公司董事挣得很多，生活奢侈，却不关心员工。●fight like cat and ˈdog (informal) argue fiercely very often经常激烈地争执◆They fight like cat and dog, but they are really very fond of each other.他们常常吵得鸡飞狗跳，但其实他们感情很好。●grin like a Cheshire ˈcatsmile widely in a foolish way or as if you are very pleased with yourself（像柴郡猫一样）咧嘴傻笑◆She sat there grinning like a Cheshire cat while we tried to put the tent up.我们搭帐篷时，她坐在那里咧着嘴傻笑。ORIGINThe Cheshire Cat is a character in Lewis Carroll’s story, Alice in Wonderland.柴郡猫是刘易斯 ∙ 卡罗尔所著小说《爱丽丝梦游仙境》中的一个角色。●no room to swing a ˈcat (informal) (of a room房间) very small; not big enough非常狭小；无转身之地◆In most modern student accommodation there’s not enough room to swing a cat.现在大多数的学生宿舍都是斗室一间。◆I’d love a bigger kitchen. There isn’t room to swing a cat in this one.我想要个大点儿的厨房，现在这个小得转不过身来。ORIGINCat in this phrase does not mean the animal, but probably a special kind of whip (= a piece of rope or leather attached to a handle), called a ‘cat-o’-nine-tails’, that was used to punish sailors. * cat 在这个短语中并非指猫，而或许是指一种用来惩罚水手的鞭子，叫 cat-o'-nine-tails （九尾鞭）。●there’s more than ˈone way to skin a ˈcat (saying, humorous) there are many different ways to achieve sth有多种办法做成某事；殊途同归；条条大路通罗马◆Have you thought about a different approach? There’s more than one way to skin a cat.你有没有考虑换种方式？条条大路通罗马。
