CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS


Meaning of CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS in English

Pronunciation: ˌ ka-t ə - ' n ī n- ˌ t ā lz

Function: noun

Inflected Form: plural cat-o'-nine-tails

Etymology: from the resemblance of its scars to the scratches of a cat

Date: 1665

: a whip made of usually nine knotted lines or cords fastened to a handle

Merriam Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.      Merriam Webster - Энциклопедический словарь английского языка.