CAT AND MOUSE


Meaning of CAT AND MOUSE in English

1. Also called cat and rat . a children's game in which players in a circle keep a player from moving into or out of the circle and permit a second player to move into or out of the circle to escape the pursuing first player.

2. Western U.S. tick-tack-toe (def. 1).

3. play cat and mouse , to engage in a gamelike relationship in which evasion and pursuit are used: They played cat and mouse for a while before she consented to go out with him.

4. play cat and mouse with ,

a. to toy or trifle with.

b. to use strategy on one's opponent, esp. while waiting to strike: The detective played cat and mouse with the suspect.

[ 1910-15 ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .