cat

plural cats · alternative obsolete catte

1. Terms relating to animals.
   1. countableA mammal of the family Felidae.

      Mammals need two genes to make the taste receptor for sugar. Studies in various cats (tigers, cheetahs and domestic cats) showed that one of these genes has mutated and no longer works.

      2011, Karl Kruszelnicki, Brain Food, →ISBN, page 53

      Synonyms: felid, feline, panther[Panthera, pantherine[Pantherinae

   2. countableuncountableA carnivorous, four-legged, generally furry domesticated species (Felis catus) of feline animal, commonly kept as a house pet.First known use 8th c.

      A group of wild cats is called a destruction.

      2019 June 6, “A gaggle, a confusion and a conspiracy - bizarre animal collective group names”, in BBC, archived from the original on 27 Jan 2022

      2 more examples

      At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs.

      1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC

      A major genetic survey of nearly 1,000 feral and domestic cats has revealed that every breed of household cat alive today originates from just five lineages which lived alongside ancient settlers in the Fertile Crescent, an area stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf.

      2007 June 29, Ian Sample, “DNA research identifies homeland of the domestic cat”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 29 Mar 2020

      Synonyms: felid, feline, panther[Panthera, pantherine[Pantherinae, grimalkin, kitty, kitty-cat, puss

   3. uncountableThe flesh of this animal eaten as food.First known use 8th c.

      I ate at a Chinese restaurant once, even though my friends told me I would probably be eating cat and dog disguised as chicken.

      2013, James Bartleman, The Redemption of Oscar Wolf, Dundurn, →ISBN

      2 more examples

      “[…]—Say, do you mind telling me if people around here really eat cats?” He felt a shiver in the pit of his stomach. “Do they eat cat?” said the little old man, profoundly shocked.

      1948, Harry Stephen Keeler, The Case of the Jeweled Ragpicker (The Screwball Circus Mysteries; 3), Wildside Press, published 2017, →ISBN

      You do not eat cat simply for the thrill of eating cat. You eat cat because cats have a lively jingshen, or spirit, and thus by eating the animal you will improve your spirits.

      2013, Peter Hessler, Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West, Harper Perennial, →ISBN

      Synonyms: felid, feline, panther[Panthera, pantherine[Pantherinae, grimalkin, kitty, kitty-cat, puss

   4. countableuncountableAny similar, chiefly non-domesticated, carnivorous mammal of the family Felidae, which includes bobcats, caracals, cheetahs, cougars, leopards, lions, lynxes, tigers, and other such species.

      I grabbed it and ran over to the lion from behind, the cat still chewing thoughtfully on Silent's arm.

      1977, Peter Hathaway Capstick, Death in the Long Grass: A Big Game Hunter's Adventures in the African Bush, St. Martin's Press, page 44

      2 more examples

      If you should someday round a corner on the hiking trail and come face to face with a mountain lion, you would probably never forget the mighty cat.

      1985 January, George Laycock, “Our American Lion”, in Boys' Life, Boy Scouts of America, section 28

      She felt privileged to be here, living the experience inside the majestic cat [a tiger]; privileged to be part of their bond, even for only a few hours.

      2014, Dale Mayer, Rare Find. A Psychic Visions Novel, Valley Publishing

      Synonyms: felid, feline, panther[Panthera, pantherine[Pantherinae, big cat

   5. broadlycountableChiefly with a descriptive word: an animal not of the family Felidae which resembles a domestic feline (etymology 1, noun sense 1.1.1).

      polecat

      1 more example

      civet cat

2. Terms relating to people.
   1. countablederogatoryfigurativelyoffensiveuncountableAn angry or spiteful person, especially a woman.First known use early 13th c.

      But, ere one rapid moon its tale has told, / He finds his prize — a cat — a slut — a scold.

      1835 September, “The Pigs”, in The New-England Magazine, volume IX, page 156

      Synonyms: bitch, tabby

   2. countabledatedfigurativelyslanguncountableAn ordinary person, especially a man; a fellow, a guy.

      1973 December, "Books Noted", discussing A Dialogue (by James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni), in Black World, Johnson Publishing Company, 77. BALDWIN: That's what we were talking about before. And by the way, you did not have to tell me that you think your father is a groovy cat; I knew that.

      5 more examples

      Now you've listened to my story / Here's the point that I have made / Cats were born to give chicks fever / Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade

      1958, “Fever”, Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell, Peggy Lee (lyrics), performed by Peggy Lee

      Didn't know what time it was the lights were low / I leaned back on my radio / Some cat was layin' down some rock'n'roll 'lotta soul, he said

      1972, “Starman”, in The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, performed by David Bowie

      What fags are true I know what Mack's might do I'm quite familiar with cats like you Provoke to get me give me a good reason to smoke me Try to break me but never wrote me)

      1998, “Fiend”, in Respect, performed by Shaquille O'Neal

      I started showing up early for every team practice, and when all those other cats jetted to hit the showers, I put in even more work on the court, eliminating my weaknesses, practicing drills and perfecting my outside shot.

      2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 208

      I am sick of rappers claiming they hot when they really not I am sick of rappers bragging about shit they ain’t really got These cats stay rapping about cars they don’t own I am sick of rappers bragging about models they don’t bone.[…] And I am sick of all these cats with no talent That never lived in the hood but yet their lyrics be so violent.

      2006, “Sick of it all”, in Masta Ace (lyrics), Pariah

      Synonyms: bloke, chap, cove, dude, fella, joe, bloke, boy

   3. UScountablefigurativelyslanguncountableSynonym of itinerant worker.

      Synonyms: itinerant worker

   4. countablefigurativelyslanguncountablejazzA jazz musician; also, an enthusiast of jazz music.

      a jazz cat

      1 more example

      I turn on the radio / There's some cat on the saxophone / Laying down a litany of excuses

      2008, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “Hold on to Yourself”

      Synonyms: hepcat

   5. countablefigurativelyobsoleteslanguncountableSynonym of prostitute.First known use early 15th c.

      "Tell me. Willie said there was a cat in love with you. That isn't true, is it?" "Yes. It's true," Hudson corrects her, letting her think that by "cat" he means prostitute.

      1999, Carl P. Eby, Hemingway’s Fetishism: Psychoanalysis and the Mirror of Manhood, State University of New York Press, page 124

      Synonyms: prostitute

3. Terms relating to things.
   1. broadlycountableuncountableA double tripod for holding a plate, etc., with six feet, of which three rest on the ground in whatever position it is placed.
   2. archaicbroadlyuncountablegamesThe game of trap ball; also (countable), the trap in that game.
   3. archaicbroadlycountablegamesThe pointed piece of wood that is struck in the game of tipcat.
   4. broadlycountableuncountablenauticalA strong tackle used to hoist an anchor to the cathead of a ship.

      Overhaul down & hook the cat, haul taut. Walk away the cat. When up, pass the cat head stopper. Hook the fish in & fish the anchor.

      2009, Olof A. Eriksen, Constitution - All Sails Up and Flying, Outskirts Press, page 134

   5. abbreviationbroadlycountableellipsisuncountablenauticalEllipsis of cat-o'-nine-tails.

      [H]e whipped a black man for disobedience of his orders fifty lashes; and again whipped him with a cat, which he wound with wire, about the same number of stripes;[…] he used this cat on one other man, and then destroyed the cat wound with wire.

      1839, Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, testimony by Henry L. Pinckney (Assembly No. 335), page 44

   6. archaicbroadlycountableuncountablenauticalNow only in catboat: a sturdy merchant sailing vessel.
   7. broadlycountablehistoricaluncountablegovernmentA wheeled shelter, used in the Middle Ages to protect assailants approaching besieged enemy defences; a cathouse.

      From behind the narrow slits in the walls of Castellar, crossbowmen and archers took aim at the juddering cat as it came closer.

      2000, Stephen O'Shea, The Perfect Heresy, Profile Books, page 97

      Synonyms: tortoise, Welsh cat

   8. broadlycountableslanguncountablevulgarAfrican-American VernacularA vagina or vulva.

      "What the hell, so this broad's got a prematurely-gray cat."

      1969, Iceberg Slim, Pimp: The Story of My Life, Holloway House Publishing

      2 more examples

      As she came up, she tried to put her cat in his face for some licking.

      2005, Carolyn Chambers Sanders, Sins & Secrets, Hachette Digital

      I had a notion to walk over to her, rip her apron off, sling her housecoat open and put my finger inside her cat to see if she was wet or freshly fucked because the dream I had earlier was beginning to really annoy me.

      2007, Franklin White, Money for Good, Simon and Schuster, page 64

present singular third person cats · participle present catting · participle past catted · past catted

1. transitivenauticalTo hoist (an anchor) by its ring so that it hangs at the cathead.

   The anchors were catted at the bows of the yacht […]

   1922, Francis Lynde, Pirates’ Hope, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, page 226

   Synonyms: cathead

2. transitivenauticalTo flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails.
3. archaicslangTo vomit.

   ‘He's going to cat, Maxim,’ said the Pussum warningly. The suave young Russian rose and took Halliday by the arm, leading him away.

   1921, DH Lawrence, Women in Love, Vintage, published 2008, page 65

4. To go wandering at night.

   My own dear wife could have tended to his needs if she hadn't been out catting.

   2012, Valerie Hansen, Wages of Sin

   2 more examples

   "He doesn't realize that I know," Lord Callan said, "but it's been pretty obvious that most of his catting about London's darker alleys has been a search for his origins.

   1998, Mary Spencer, Lady’s Wager, page 324

   This was going to be my first try at catting out. I went looking for somebody to cat with me.

   2010, Claude Brown, Manchild in the Promised Land, page 18

5. To gossip in a catty manner.

   Men from young to middleaged, with matt faces, vivacious and brightly dressed, catted together in gay groups.

   1932, Hugh Brooke, Man Made Angry, page 134

   2 more examples

   They smiled, touched, rolled their eyes and raised their eyebrows, as they relived the audition and catted about some of their competition.

   1996, Alistair Boyle, The Unlucky Seven

   In the story, Lady Ina gossiped and catted about a parade of the rich and famous—Jackie Kennedy looking like an exaggerated version of herself, Princess Margaret so boring she made people fall asleep, Gloria Vanderbilt so ditzy she didn't recognize her first husband.

   2016, Melanie Benjamin, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, page 293

plural cats

1. computingA program and command in Unix that reads one or more files and directs their content to the standard output.

present singular third person cats · participle present catting · participle past catted · past catted

1. transitivecomputingTo apply the `cat` command to (one or more files).
2. slangcomputingTo dump large amounts of data on (an unprepared target), usually with no intention of browsing it carefully.

plural cats

1. slangA street name of the drug methcathinone.
2. abbreviationAbbreviation of catapult.

   a carrier's bow cats

3. abbreviationAbbreviation of catalytic converter.
4. abbreviationAbbreviation of catamaran.

   These cats are a lot of fun in the harbor, but they're a real thrill on the open ocean riding ground swells.

   1966, Bruce Brown, director, The Endless Summer

5. abbreviationAbbreviation of category.
6. abbreviationAbbreviation of catfish.

   Fishing for cat is probably, up to a certain stage, the least exciting of all similar sports.

   1916, M. Shults, “Fishing for Yellow Cat in the Brazos”, in Field and Stream, vol. 21, 478

   1 more example

   She missed the fish diet of her own country, and twice every summer she sent the boys to the river, twenty miles to the southward, to fish for channel cat.

   1913, Willa Cather, chapter 2, in O Pioneers!

7. Abbreviation of caterpillar.
   1. slangAny of a variety of earth-moving machines. (from their manufacturer Caterpillar Inc.)
   2. A ground vehicle which uses caterpillar tracks, especially tractors, trucks, minibuses, and snow groomers.
8. abbreviationtypically attributivelyAlternative letter-case form of CAT: Abbreviation of computed axial tomography.

   CAT scan

1. Irelandcolloquialnot comparableCatastrophic; terrible, disastrous.

   The weather was cat, so they returned home early.

plural Cats

1. A diminutive of the female given names Catherine and Caitlin.

plural Cats

1. slangA piece of heavy machinery, such as a backhoe or bulldozer, of the Caterpillar brand. (Occasionally, loosely, any big yellow machine of the type.)

   Upon touring the mine, they found it to be a veritable canyon with some monstrous Cats trundling in the background.

plural Cats

1. informalA Catalina flying boat.

plural CATs

1. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of Central Atlas Tamazight.
2. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of computer-adaptive test.
3. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of common admission test.
4. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of civil air transport.
5. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of clear-air turbulence.
6. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountablemedicineAcronym of computed axial tomography.

   Synonyms: CT, computed tomography, computed axial tomography

7. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of career aptitude test.
8. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of computer-assisted/aided translation.
9. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of credit authorization terminal.
10. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of citizenship advancement training.
11. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of computer-aided transceiver.
12. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of cosmic anisotropy telescope.
13. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of coital alignment technique.
14. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of conidial anastomosis tube.
15. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase.
16. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of crisis assessment team.
17. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of Consumer Acceptance of Technology.

1. Centre for Alternative Technology
2. Counter Assault Team
3. Citizens Area Transit
4. Canadian Achievement Tests
5. Cambridge Antibody Technology
6. abbreviationbusinessAbbreviation of Caterpillar Inc..

   Caterpillar (CAT)and Boston Consulting Group said their top executives would go but the companies are monitoring the situation closely.

   2014 May 2, Mark Thompson and Aaron Smith, “U.S. presses CEOs to skip Russia’s Davos”, in CNN Business