noun
a game for children in which the players form a circle and join hands; they raise their hands to let a player inside the circle or lower their hands to bar a second player who is chasing the first
• Syn: ↑cat and rat
• Hypernyms: ↑child's game
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noun or cat and rat \\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷\ : a children's game in which players in a circle raise their joined hands to let one player in and out of the circle and lower them to bar a second player who chases the first
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1. Also called cat and rat. a children's game in which players in a circle keep a player from moving into or out of the circle and permit a second player to move into or out of the circle to escape the pursuing first player.
2. Western U.S. tick-tack-toe (def. 1).
3. play cat and mouse, to engage in a gamelike relationship in which evasion and pursuit are used: They played cat and mouse for a while before she consented to go out with him.
4. play cat and mouse with,
a. to toy or trifle with.
b. to use strategy on one's opponent, esp. while waiting to strike: The detective played cat and mouse with the suspect.
[1910-15]
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cat and mouse UK US noun [uncountable]
a situation in which you let someone else believe that they have managed to escape, before you actually catch them
a game of cat and mouse
play cat and mouse (with someone):
Dora knew the detective was playing cat and mouse with her, waiting for his chance to trap her.
Thesaurus: tricks, pretences and dishonest planssynonym
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a series of cunning maneuvers designed to thwart an opponent
their elite fighters are playing cat and mouse with U.S. troops
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noun [noncount]
: behavior that is like the way a cat chases a mouse or plays with a mouse before killing it — used especially to describe a situation in which someone says or does different things to deceive or control other people, to avoid being caught, etc.;
— usually used with play
The governor has been playing (a game of) cat and mouse with the media, refusing to say definitely whether he will run for reelection.
The thieves played cat and mouse with the police for several days before they were caught.
cat-and-mouse adj
a cat-and-mouse routine
Useful english dictionary. 2012.