\ ˈkats-ˌpȯ
\
\
plural cat's-paws
Definition of cat's-paw
1
: a light air that ruffles the surface of the water in irregular patches during a calm
2
[from the fable of the monkey that used a cat's paw to draw chestnuts from the fire]
: one used by another as a tool : dupe
the … government became the cat's-paw for foreign powers— D. J. Boorstin
3
: a hitch knot formed with two eyes for attaching a line to a hook — see knot illustration
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Cite this Entry
“Cat's-paw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat%27s-paw. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.
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Time Traveler for cat's-paw
The first known use of cat's-paw was circa 1769
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