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Article: Curious cat catchwords.(idiomatic expressions)
- Article from:
- The Evening Standard (London, England)
- Article date:
- October 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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"Cat got your tongue?" Someone may have said this to you the last time you were speechless. The popular phrase from the 1800s refers to a nasty whip with nine stinging strands called a "cat-o'-nine-tails" that was used in maritime punishments. A visit from this cat would likely leave a sailor speechless. (A less likely origin may be the ancient Mideast practice of cutting out the tongue of a liar and serving it to the king's cats.)
"Let the cat out of the bag." No, this is not what your room yelled after you vacuumed your room. This expression means to disclose something that has been kept secret. Its origin can be traced to a scam from the 1800s, when folks ...