/kat/ , n. , v. , catted, catting .
n.
1. a small domesticated carnivore, Felis domestica or F. catus, bred in a number of varieties.
2. any of several carnivores of the family Felidae, as the lion, tiger, leopard or jaguar, etc.
3. Slang.
a. a person, esp. a man.
b. a devotee of jazz.
4. a woman given to spiteful or malicious gossip.
5. the fur of the domestic cat.
6. a cat-o'-nine-tails.
7. Games.
a. Chiefly Brit. the tapering piece of wood used in the game of tipcat.
b. Chiefly Brit. the game itself.
c. See four old cat, one old cat, three old cat, two old cat .
8. a catboat.
9. a catamaran.
10. a catfish.
11. Naut. a tackle used in hoisting an anchor to the cathead.
12. a double tripod having six legs but resting on only three no matter how it is set down, usually used before or over a fire.
13. Navy Informal. catapult (def. 2).
14. (in medieval warfare) a movable shelter for providing protection when approaching a fortification.
15. bell the cat , to attempt something formidable or dangerous.
16. let the cat out of the bag , to divulge a secret, esp. inadvertently or carelessly: He let the cat out of the bag, and the surprise party wasn't a surprise after all.
v.t.
17. to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails.
18. Naut. to hoist (an anchor) and secure to a cathead.
v.i.
19. Brit. Slang. to vomit.
20. cat around , Slang.
a. to spend one's time aimlessly or idly.
b. to seek sexual activity indiscriminately; tomcat.
[ bef. 900; ME cat, catte, OE catt (masc.), catte (fem.); c. OFris, MD katte, OHG kazza, ON kottr, Ir cat, Welsh cath (Slavic * kotu, Lith kate perh. cattus, catta (first attested in the 4th century, presumably with the introduction of domestic cats); ult. orig. obscure ]