to cat
- verb
- /kæt/
- NSFW
- In the old navy, they would cat sailors for serious infractions.
Examples
-
He was threatened with being catted if he disobeyed the officer's orders.
-
The sailor was catted for his disobedience.
-
The captain ordered the men to cat the thief before the whole crew.
-
They cat the crew for their misconduct!
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In the past, sailors knew that failure to follow orders could result in being catted by the captain.
-
The punishment for insubordination in the navy was to cat the offending sailor as a warning to others.
-
To maintain discipline, the officers would threaten to cat any crew member who disobeyed their commands.
Idioms
Very nervous and unable to stay still because of worry or excitement
A thing or deal you accept before you know its real value that often turns out disappointing
- Informal
A humorous remark to greet someone who arrives unexpectedly or looking messy
To smile in a proud, secret way because you feel pleased with yourself
To say or do something that causes strong reactions and confusion among people
- Informal
A person who looks very pleased because they have a secret success
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- Specialized
A medical test that makes detailed pictures of the inside of the body using X-rays
A person who quietly climbs into buildings through upper windows or roofs to steal things
- Indian
A medium-sized wild cat that lives near rivers and in grasslands in Asia and northeastern Africa
- Baby Talk
A children's game where players hold hands in a circle and try to catch someone inside
- NSFW
A whip with nine knotted cords used to beat people as punishment, often on ships or in prisons
- Specialized
A machine that makes detailed pictures of the inside of the body using X-ray images from different angles
A slim short-haired cat with blue eyes and a pale body with darker ears, face, paws, and tail tip
- US
A large dark brown North American animal that climbs trees to hunt small animals
A large freshwater catfish with long whiskers and blue-gray color that lives in the Mississippi River
- Specialized
An infection from a cat scratch or bite that makes nearby glands swell and is usually mild
- UK
A small reddish-brown tree squirrel from Europe and Asia with small fur tufts on its ears
- UK
A small plant from the Mediterranean with reddish-purple flowers that attracts cats
- Baby Talk
A circle game where players join hands and raise them to let a child pass while another catches them
- UK
A small reddish-brown animal like a raccoon that lives in the eastern Himalayas and eats bamboo
- Specialized
A machine at an oil plant that turns heavy oil into lighter fuel like petrol or diesel
- US
A raccoon-like animal from Mexico and southwestern US with a long bushy tail with black-and-white rings
- Informal
A cat that causes trouble and annoys people, said jokingly or with mild annoyance
- Philippine
A night animal that lives in trees in Southeast Asia and glides using a skin fold from neck to tail
Small wild cat with long body and tail that looks like a weasel and lives in tropical Americas
- Australian
A small Australian animal that looks like a cat and carries its babies in a pouch
An animal like a raccoon that has a long bushy tail with black and white rings
A small wild cat from Central and South America that is active at night and has dark spots
How Severe
Surface Forms
Etymology
Cat as a verb to beat someone comes from the name cat-o'-nine-tails, the whip used for punishment, and so the verb meant to give that beating. That's why the old naval order to 'cat' someone meant to punish them with the whip.