put the cat among the pigeons

verb

To cause alarm, fuss, or agitation.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbput the cat among the pigeons (third-person singular simple present puts the cat among the pigeons, present participle putting the cat among the pigeons, simple past and past participle put the cat among the pigeons)

present singular third person puts the cat among the pigeons · participle present putting the cat among the pigeons · alternative set the cat among the pigeons

  1. figurativelyTo cause alarm, fuss, or agitation.

    Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way.

    1994 September 19, The Times
    1 more example

    In any event, this professorial detonation, especially coming as it does from hardline Federalist Society constitutional originalists, has set the cat among the Republican pigeons.

    2023 September 2, Simon Schama, “The real Rino”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2

Translations

Dutch de knuppel in het hoenderhok gooien
  • de knuppel in het hoenderhok gooienTranslations
Finnish herättää huolta
  • herättää huoltaTranslations
French jeter un pavé dans la mare, enfermer le loup dans la bergerie
  • jeter un pavé dans la mareTranslations
  • enfermer le loup dans la bergerieTranslations
Polish wsadzać kij w mrowisko, wsadzić kij w mrowisko
  • wsadzać kij w mrowiskoTranslations
  • wsadzić kij w mrowiskoTranslations
Scottish Gaelic cuir an clamhan gobhlach am measg nan cearc
  • cuir an clamhan gobhlach am measg nan cearcTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

put the cat among the pigeons. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20cat%20among%20the%20pigeons

MLA

“put the cat among the pigeons.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20cat%20among%20the%20pigeons. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put the cat among the pigeons,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20the%20cat%20among%20the%20pigeons.

Source: put the cat among the pigeons on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.