Why is the word “cat” in the phrase “fat cat”?
The “cat” in “fat cat” is there because the saying rhymes and because “dog” does not conjure up the required image in one’s imagination.
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“Care will kill a cat” – Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson is in the news today! On this day, 22nd September, in 1598, the English playwright Ben Jonson was charged with the killing of an actor in a duel. He was acquitted after reciting a Bible verse. He shot … Continue reading →
Don’t “let the cat out of the bag” saying used in Ghislaine Maxwell’s case against Virginia Giuffre
The 18th-century phrase “he let the cat out of the bag” was used very recently by Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers in their efforts to convince a judge to block the release of documents which contained “intimate, sensitive and personal” information about … Continue reading →
Why do cats have nine lives and dogs don’t?
Cats don’t have nine lives and neither do dogs. Obviously they both have one life unless you believe in and include the afterlife or reincarnation which I am not doing here. “A cat has nine lives’ is simply a saying … Continue reading →
‘Raining cats and dogs’ – origin of the saying
This post is all about the origin of “raining cats and dogs”. That really is all the post can be about other than its meaning. So for people whose first language is not English, this phrase means “it is raining … Continue reading →
Origin of no room to swing a cat
This phrase means no room to swing a cat-o’-nine-tails, the whip used to punish British sailors and soldiers from the 17th century until it was outlawed in 1881. The cramped quarters below deck on ship prevented the use of this … Continue reading →
“I associate a person having a cat with them being gentler than other people”
The words in the title were said by Sir Kingsley Amis (1922-1995). Sir Kingsley Amis was an English novelist, poet, critic and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels and six volumes of poetry and a lot more besides. Also, … Continue reading →
‘Cathouse’ meaning and in a sentence
‘Cathouse’ is slang for brothel. It has been used for centuries. The origin of the word is rooted in the perceived promiscuity of the urban female cat who attracts many tom cats when she is in heat and mates with … Continue reading →
‘Cat-in-hell’s chance’ origin
It means that a person has little or no chance of success in what he/she is about do. It is an abbreviation of the phrase ‘no more chance than a cat in hell without claws’. The two key parts of … Continue reading →
Origin of Cat Sucks Baby’s Breath
The belief that a domestic cat could suck the breath out of a baby probably stemmed from a combination of factors: Cats were considered to be witches’ familiars, companions to witches, at the time when people believed in witchcraft. Some … Continue reading →