city mouse
- noun
- /ˈsɪti maʊs/
:
ratón de la ciudad
- He always felt like a city mouse, preferring the hustle and bustle over quiet rural life.
Examples
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Once upon a time, there was a city mouse named Wanky.
Blog text (2) -
As a city mouse, she struggled to adapt to life in the countryside.
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Living in a small town was challenging for her; she truly was a city mouse at heart.
Synonyms
17
8.6
A person who lives in a town or city rather than in the countryside
6
6.7
A person from a city who seems well dressed and not used to country life
5
4.1
A person who lives in a city and is used to city life
2
3.8
A person who lives in a city rather than in the countryside
1
5.8
A person who lives in a city and prefers city life
1
9.8
A person who lives in a town and seems out of place in the country
How Urban
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituents 'city' (urban) + 'mouse' (used metaphorically for a person) provide a clear hint that this labels a person associated with urban life, so learners can partly infer meaning. However, the full sense — specifically preferring city life and being uncomfortable in rural settings — relies on the cultural contrast (city mouse vs. country mouse) and metaphorical mapping, so it is not fully predictable from the words alone.
Etymology
City mouse comes from an old story about two mice, a city mouse and a country mouse. The city mouse liked busy streets, fine food, and comforts, so city mouse now means someone who 'prefers living in a city'.