a)DHPa small animal with four legs that people often keep as a pet 猫 → feline
tabby/ginger/tortoiseshell etc cat (=colours of cats) 斑猫/姜黄色猫/花斑家猫等
a tom cat (=a male cat)
公猫,雄猫
b)HBA (also big cat) a large animal such as a lion or tiger 大型猫科动物〔如狮、虎〕
2.let the cat out of the bagTELL A SECRETto tell someone a secret, especially without intending to 〔尤指无意中〕泄露秘密,露出马脚
Examples from the Corpus
let the cat out of the bag• I'm sorry. Jim knows about last week's party. I'm afraid I let the cat out of the bag.• Inadvertently perhaps, the BiE report lets the cat out of the bag.• Some idiot's let the cat out of the bag -- Mrs Simpson realizes there's something going on.
3.put/set the cat among the pigeonsPROBLEMto do or say something that causesarguments, trouble etc 惹出乱子,引起麻烦
4play (a game of) cat and mouse (with somebody)PREVENTto pretend to allow someone to do or have what they want, and then to stop them from doing or having it (跟某人)玩猫捉老鼠的游戏,愚弄(某人)
The police played an elaborate game of cat and mouse to trap him.
警方跟他玩了一场精心布局的猫捉老鼠游戏,诱他落网。
Examples from the Corpus
play (a game of) cat and mouse (with somebody)• They played cat and mouse with the Bay, now scrambling for the outside, now sneaking back in.• For the rest of the huntingseason, the saboteurs will play a cat and mouse game with the huntsmen.
5the cat’s whiskers/pyjamasinformal something or someone that is better than everything else 最棒的东西[人]
I really thought I looked the cat’s whiskers in that dress.
我确实认为穿那条连衣裙让我看起来最漂亮。
6.like a cat on hot bricksBritish EnglishBrE, like a cat on a hot tin roofAmerican EnglishAmENERVOUS so nervous or anxious that you cannot keep still or keep your attention on one thing 像热锅上的蚂蚁,坐立不安,心神不定
7not stand/have a cat in hell’s chance (of doing something)informal to not have any chance of succeeding (做某事)毫无成功的希望
They don’t have a cat in hell’s chance of being elected.
他们没有任何希望当选。
8.when the cat’s away (the mice will play)used to say that people will not behave well when the person who has authority over them is not there 猫儿不在,老鼠作怪;上司不在,下属胡来
9.like the cat that got the creamBritish EnglishBrE, like the cat that ate the canaryAmerican EnglishAmE informal very proud or pleased because of something you have achieved or got 扬扬得意,踌躇满志
10.look like something the cat dragged/brought inBritish EnglishBrE informal to look very dirty or untidy 衣衫褴褛;脏乱不堪
tabby/ginger/tortoiseshell etc cat• First, what exactly is a tortoiseshell cat?• For some reason we do not fully understand, the blotchedtabby cat was a winner.• It was Rats, Molly's hugetortoiseshell cat.• A large, tabby cat came in, sniffed round his shoes then jumped up on his lap.• A visible example of Xchromosome inactivation is the tortoiseshell cat.• What is the history of the tabby cat?• The tortoiseshell cat was found wounded and frightened in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, and brought to an animal sanctuary.
ADJECTIVE | VERB + CAT | CAT + VERB | CAT + NOUN | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤domestic, family, house, household, pet家貓;寵物貓▸➤big大型貓科動物◇She went to Africa to photograph big cats.她去非洲拍攝大型貓科動物。➤feral, wild野貓▸➤alley, stray(街上的)野貓;流浪貓▸➤pedigree, pedigreed (NAmE) 純種貓▸➤long-haired, short-haired長毛貓;短毛貓▸➤calico, tabby, tortoiseshell, etc.雜色貓、斑貓、花斑家貓等▸➤tom (usually tomcat)雄貓▸➤playful頑皮的貓▸➤sleek皮毛油亮的貓▸➤Cheshire (figurative) 咧嘴傻笑的人◇He was grinning like a Cheshire cat (= smiling widely).他咧着嘴傻笑。➤fat (figurative) 有錢人◇the fat cats of big business大企業的大亨VERB + CAT➤have, keep, own有貓;養貓◇We have a pet cat called Archie.我們有一隻叫阿奇的寵物貓。➤feed餵貓▸➤pet, stroke (especially BrE) 撫摸貓▸➤neuter, spay閹貓◇They didn't want kittens, so they had their cat spayed.他們不想要貓產崽,所以給它去了勢。➤put down把貓人道毀滅◇The cat was in constant pain so they had it put down.這隻貓疼痛不止,他們只好把它人道處理了。CAT + VERB➤hiss, mew, miaow/meow, purr, spit, yowl貓發出噝噝聲;貓喵喵叫;貓(高興時)發出呼嚕聲;貓(憤怒時)發出咕嚕咕嚕聲;貓哀叫◇The cat miaowed pitifully.貓喵喵地叫得可憐。◇There was a cat yowling outside my window last night.昨晚有隻貓在我窗前哀號。➤bite (sb), scratch (sb)貓咬(某人);貓抓(某人)▸➤creep, pad, prowl, slink貓爬行;貓悄悄地走;貓潛行;貓溜走◇A cat padded silently past.一隻貓靜悄悄地走了過去。◇The cat slunk away into the darkness.貓溜走了,消失在黑暗中。➤arch its back貓弓起腰▸➤crouch貓蜷伏▸➤curl up貓蜷着▸➤catch sth, hunt (sth), stalk sth貓抓住⋯;貓獵取(⋯);貓潛隨⋯▸➤jump, leap, pounce (on sth), spring貓跳躍;貓猛撲(到某物上)▸➤spray (sth)貓撒(尿)◇Cats mark their territory by spraying.貓撒尿標示自己的領地。CAT + NOUN➤door, flap (BrE) 門上的貓洞▸➤food貓食▸➤litter一窩貓崽➤dander, hair貓的皮屑;貓毛▸➤lover, owner愛貓者;貓主人▸➤phobia恐貓症PHRASES➤fight like cat and dog, fight like cats and dogs (NAmE) 激烈爭鬥◇In our childhood Irina and I fought like cat(s) and dog(s).童年時我和伊琳娜是對頭。➤play (a game of) cat and mouse玩貓捉老鼠(的把戲)◇Young car thieves enjoy playing cat and mouse with the police.年輕的盜車賊喜歡與警察玩貓捉老鼠的把戲。