grin like a Cheshire cat

present singular third person grins like a Cheshire cat · participle present grinning like a Cheshire cat · participle past grinned like a Cheshire cat · past grinned like a Cheshire cat

1. simileTo smile broadly, especially in a self-satisfied way.

   John ended the set with a beautiful serve, an ace, and could not help grinning like a Cheshire cat.

   3 more examples

   CHESHIRE CAT. He grins like a Cheshire cat; said of any one who shows his teeth and gums in laughing.

   1788, Francis Grose, A classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue, 2nd corrected and enlarged edition, London

   Lo, like a Cheshire cat our court will grin.

   1792, John Wolcot (under the pseudonym Peter Pindar), Pair of Lyric Epistles

   ‘It’s almost as if we’ve gone silly with happiness,’ said Marcus two days later. ‘Everyone in the house going round grinning like a lot of Cheshire Cats! The family I mean.’ ‘And Jess,’ said Kitto quickly. ‘Oh well, Jess is as good as family,’ said Fanny comfortably. Jessamy said nothing, but she looked up quickly and her smile would have rivalled any Cheshire Cat.

   1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 127

   Synonyms: smile from ear to ear