cat
/kæt/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈæt] /kæt/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈæt] /ˈkat/ (ame, mw)
cat — noun
- catsingular
- catsplural
1. a small pet animal with whiskers, sharp claws, and a tail that often lives with
a small pet animal with whiskers, sharp claws, and a tail that often lives with people and may hunt mice.
Ada fed the cat before leaving for school on Monday morning.
feed the cat at home
The cat slept in Putri's laundry basket beside the warm dryer.
Kwame's cat waited by the door when he came home.
A stray cat chased a mouse under the market shelves.
文法句型
a cat
pet/carry/feed a cat
用法筆記
Usually countable. For a very young cat, English normally uses kitten rather than cat.
常見錯誤
2. one of the wild hunting animals in the same family as lions, tigers, leopards, a
one of the wild hunting animals in the same family as lions, tigers, leopards, and house cats.
Snow leopards are cats built for cold mountain cliffs.
cat = member of the feline family
The guide showed us fresh cat tracks near the riverbank.
Each cat at the safari park had a separate feeding area.
Biologists fitted one cat with a collar to track its range.
文法句型
a cat in the wild
big cats
用法筆記
This sense is used in animal-study or wildlife contexts, not for an ordinary pet at home.
常見錯誤
3. an informal, somewhat old-fashioned word for a man or person, especially one see
an informal, somewhat old-fashioned word for a man or person, especially one seen as stylish, relaxed, or part of jazz culture.
That cat on the saxophone knows every tune from memory.
jazz slang for a man
Some older players still call a stylish young man a cool cat.
The drummer greeted me with, 'You're a sharp cat, kid.'
At the club, every cat wanted a turn at the piano.
文法句型
that cat
cool cat
用法筆記
Common in older American slang and jazz talk. In ordinary modern conversation, guy or person is more neutral.
常見錯誤
4. an insulting word for a woman who is cruel, spiteful, or eager to say hurtful th
an insulting word for a woman who is cruel, spiteful, or eager to say hurtful things about others.
People at the office called Vera a cat after her cruel gossip.
insulting label for a spiteful woman
In the old novel, the landlord's sister is a bitter cat.
Marisol refused to laugh when her aunt called the neighbor a cat.
That film turns the rich widow into a sharp-tongued cat.
文法句型
call someone a cat
用法筆記
This sense is strongly negative and often sounds old-fashioned. It is used as an insult, not as a neutral description.
常見錯誤
cat — verb
- catpresent simple I / you / we / they
- cats3rd person singular
- catting-ing form
- cattedpast simple
1. of a cat or similar animal, to go around trying to find a sexual partner.
of a cat or similar animal, to go around trying to find a sexual partner.
The male cat was catting around the yard all night.
animal seeking a mate
Every spring, stray cats cat in the alleys behind the fish market.
The tomcat kept catting near the fence instead of hunting mice.
Our neighbors complained when the female cat kept catting under their window.
文法句型
cat
be catting
用法筆記
Used mainly for animal behavior, especially of cats in heat, and is far less common than ordinary verbs such as mate.
常見錯誤
2. to pull an anchor up and fasten it by the bow of a ship before sailing.
to pull an anchor up and fasten it by the bow of a ship before sailing.
The crew catted the anchor before the tide turned against them.
cat + the anchor
At dawn, the sailors catted the anchor and raised the mainsail.
The mate ordered two deckhands to cat the anchor quickly.
Once they had catted the anchor, the ship edged away from the dock.
文法句型
cat the anchor
用法筆記
A technical sea-going term. Outside ship handling, English normally uses raise or hoist instead.