I would just like to know where the saying "It's the cat's meow" came from, as my neighbour said it during a conversation we had last week. Oil can a nave or unsophisticated person, 23. Cat's pajamas a term of endearment 5. W. R. Hearst: God, they taste awful. The screenplay by Steven Peros is based on his play of the same title, which was inspired by the mysterious death of film mogul Thomas H. Ince that occurred on William Randolph Hearst's boat with Charles Chaplin on board. Learn a new word every day. Question: What does it mean when saying: "get the cat doctored"? The film takes place aboard publisher William Randolph Hearst's yacht on a weekend cruise celebrating Ince's 44th birthday on November 16, 1924. You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles. Charlie Chaplin: [Looking at the note] Yeah, but I didn't get Thomas Ince's blood on it! 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Answer: There are a number of such proverbs and sayings. It has the meaning of being very calm. For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. Cat's out of the bag! 16th century: Kings, care, and the cover of darkness. Answer: This idiom means that a person should keep a secret. Answer: The term "cats eyes", is often made with reference to precious gems that have a changing lustre. From Listening to America: An Illustrated History of Words and Phrases from Our Lively and Splendid Past by Stuart Berg Flexner: "For 'great' (in the 20s) we have: the cat's pajamas, remarkable, first used around 1920 . Please add them in the comment section. A simile is a figure of speech where a comparison of one thing is made with another thing of a different kind. It's tempting to think of the 1960s as the decade in which drug culture took off and began to destroy the minds and souls of our youth, but drugs and the abuse of them were common well before then. [pause] I've had a recurring dream recently. To say that something is ironic or very funny. Refers to a person who is the best at what they do. A saying that refers to tired and aching feet. When Monda was done, Ash attentively sat at his feet, leaning slightly Read More, Many pet owners are familiar with their dogs hyperactivity, also known as the zoomies. You've cat to be kitten me right meow. This article focuses on fifty cat-related idioms. Weve rounded up ten of the most common cat idioms and sayings to explain just that! Origin: The phrase appears to have originated in 1953 in a syndicated column in a newspaper that stated, Next to living on the side of a volcano, the most hazardous existence we can think of is that of a long-tailed cat in a house full of rocking chairs. And in 1956, Tennessee Ernie Ford used the phrase, He was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs, making it popular throughout the Southern states. Answer: I have rarely come across this particular expression. Another way to say Cat's Pajamas? When saying that a person is "of the cat", they are comparing them to the characteristics of the cat. Often used to describe someone who is concealing some mischievous act. However, the information found on Excited Cats should not be viewed as veterinary advice. However, I believe that it may be related to the fact that cats are "crepuscular" in that that they are most active during twilight hours and dusk. While the OEDs earliest citation is from 1911, The Phrase Finders is from 1859. Nine lives is not enough. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, this phrase is attested from 1760 and probably comes from the French expression acheter chat en poche, buy a cat in a bag. This is in contrast with the saying buy a pig in a poke, that is to buy something without looking at it or knowing its true value. In other words, a person is perhaps not doing themselves any favours by their appearance. If you live a tiny space, you could say theres not enough room to swing a cat, which is from about 1665, again according to the OED. Quilt an alcoholic drink that keeps you warm, 28. It's meaning changed to that used today sometime around the early 20th century. When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. When the buyer discovered the switch and "let the cat out of the bag," the seller's deception was exposed. Another one was animal-themed nonsense phrases that described something excellent. Like. See more ideas about wet cat food, quotes, cats. Learn more. [out of voiceover, as Elinor on the deck] Come on everybody! bee's knees # excellence. "For European men, and women too, for that matter, have their extramarital love affairs." you're the cat's meow phrase. Features: 1.It is made of high quality materials,durable enought for your daily wearing 2. Lolly got her lifetime contract, and for the next thirty years became the most powerful and feared gossip columnist in America. Meaning: This is one of the more commonly used idioms regarding felines (and is possibly the most popular one!). Youve come to the right place. Believed to originate from the fable of a mouse who has the idea of hanging a bell around a cat's neck to warn them of its approach. They create an evocative image that helps us describe a situation we are discussing. What You Need to Know. Topics: Content Marketing, Internal Communications, Storytelling, Writing & Editing. Meaning: If you are too polite or careful, you might not achieve what you want. A bad, but memorable event that someone will not be able to get away from, either because they remember it too often, or because the people around that person won't let him forget it. Both words have come to denote brutal and authoritarian endeavors, often without political affiliation. They therefore spend a great deal of their time cat- napping when they are in a state of light sleep. the lips. The first recorded use of this idiomatic expression was between 1905 - 1910. Which means that if these cats drink milk it can result in vomiting. Have a mice day! Handcuff a wedding or engagement ring, 12. And do not make any cat jokes or I'll have to hurt you. By 1871, a timid person might be called a fraidy-cat, perhaps from the pusss practice of leaping and scattering when startled. As Nervous as a Long-Tailed Cat in a Room Full of Rocking Chairs. Below, youll find some truly hissterical pawsibilities. Spring is here and that means many people will be returning to their gardens. Yet it's so much fun that none of us can stop. Its one of our favorite days of the year: National Cat Day! Suggest that she get a room at the 'Y. W. R. Hearst: You can be whoever you like. Meaning: That a person is extremely busy almost frantic. They all relate in some way to the nervous or "jumpy" nature a cat displays when it is stressed or anxious. Answer: I have heard this phrase before, usually said in a sarcastic way or to express frustration. Meaning: The meaning of this one is fairly explanatory. By the end of the decade robotic (1928) had also been adopted. Then youve let the cat out of the bag. "This gal is too old for a baby-sitter and too young for a motel. A cat may look at a king is an early one. To help you create a dog-friendly Read More. Answer: This is an expression that I have heard before, although quite rarely. A phrase used to describe a fashionable person. Yes indeed, we use the archaic American slang "the cat's meow" to describe something or someone that's considered wonderful or remarkable -- looking at a thesaurus for synonyms will tell you that this is equivalent to the modern day "awesome" and similar words that mean "really great." Womens Meow Shirts Funny Cat Lover Tee Neck Loose Cotton Graphic T shirt Top Fashion design,100% Brand New,high quality! Also used to refer to someone who has turned traitor. Related phrases include the cats pajamas, bees knees, and canarys tusks. Humans are still better than bots at writing. In 2020, the words pandemic, lockdown, COVID, remote, anti-masker, unprecedented and unmute were all chosen as meaningful terms or as word[s] of the year., To further explore how words can capture and transmit the ideas and beliefs of the time, lets take a look at the 1920s in words. The word motel (formed by blending the words motor and hotel) dates from 1925, as drivers began to take enough long trips to necessitate having places for them to sleep near the roads they were travelling on. He did however re-cast her role in "The Gold Rush" and re-shoot all of her scenes. Albert Einstein 4 Meow" means "woof" in cat. Often used to describe a person attempting to manage a large team of individuals who are uncooperative. . W.'" - Dear Abby (Abigail Van Buren), The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union, 11 June 1958, :any bomb whose explosive power is due to the release of atomic energy. (a turkey without its feathers). Origin: As far as the phrase fraidy-cat goes, its origins are unknown, but by 1871 it was a commonly used slang term. "Many inventors and engineers believed it could be done; photographs of 'rocket ships' of varying designs were broadcast and reputable magazines carried articles and drawings explaining just how the feat could be accomplished." Meaning: If a cat manages to free a canary from its cage to eat it, then you can imagine that feline would be pretty smug! I have heard this expression used to conjure up an image of a cat furiously digging away at the surface of the ice for a prolonged period of time in an act of futile perseverance. "If a cat spoke, it would say things like 'Hey, I don't see the problem here." Roy Blount Jr. 3. It was used in A Woman Killd With Kindness, by Thomas Heywood, in 1607. Let our authors & experts know what you think. Charlie Chaplin: Your shoe. I suspect that it is a derivation of the expression "cook a cat." Meaning: There are many alternative ways of achieving something. The atom bomb (also called the A-bomb, and the atomic bomb) is seen as one of the great signifiers of the modern age. Well there you have itdozens of cat-tastic puns to use meow or later. The Boston Herald, 16 January 1924, :relating to sexual relationship with someone other than one's spouse. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. This saying means that cats are very resilient and have the ability to survive difficult situations. As Nervous as a Cat in a Room Full of Rocking Chairs. (By the way, the bag was called a "poke," which is likely where the phrase "a pig in a poke," which nowadays means buying an unknown, came from.). However, the term scaredy cat came later and is most often attributed to Dorothy Parker, who used the phrase in her 1933 story The Waltz. Which day of the week do cats love the most? (US & Worldwide Statistics in 2023), 13 Types of Angelfish for Freshwater Aquariums (With Pictures), How Many Babies Do Hamsters Have In A Litter? Delivered to your inbox! Who doesnt love good (or even not so good) cat puns? A morphine addict is called a 'hophead' or 'junkhead.' She retired in 1937, but stayed by Hearst's side until his death at the age of 88. The term scaredy-cat was scared up a bit later: in 1906. To have no chance at all. One moose, two moose. Origin: Again, the origins of this phrase are unclear. Breeding & Reproduction Guide. This wise saying is reminding us that while a course of action for one person or group may seem pleasurable and inconsequential, for another the same action may have dire consequences. Charlie Chaplin: I don't know, Tom. Curiosity killed the cat There aren't any specific idioms or phrases that I am aware of that explain this definitively. If cats could send birthday cards well, they wouldnt. Cat got your tongue? Out on the roof to be drunk; to drink in excess, 24. The screenplay by Steven Peros is based on his play of the same title, which was inspired by the mysterious death of film mogul Thomas H. Ince that occurred on William Randolph Hearst's boat with Charles Chaplin on board. Question: What does the expression, "the cat is drinking milk again" mean? The wireless is the same, only without the cat. Interestingly, the expression Bee's knees, when first used back in the 18th century, was used to refer to something very small or insignificant. Log in. - Cat got your tongue - The phrase probably comes from the rather brutal ancient Mideast custom of punishing a liar by forcibly removing tongue. It is certainly something that you could say to funny friend - just make certain that they have a good sense of humour before you do. No matter the occasion, a clever feline-inspired turn of phrase is the perfect addition to everything from birthday cards to Instagram posts to texts. Soon, a woman who gossiped about other women was said to be making "catty" remarks about them. One addicted to cocaine is called a 'cokehead,' 'coke,' 'snowbird,' 'sniffer.' This is the whisper told most often. What is this referring too? Presumably referencing the fact that the ice is so thin that it would not even support the weight of a cat. I'm Kathryn, but everyone calls me Kat. Alwyn-Schmidt, in Color Trade Journal, 1921. 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