Definition of like the cat that ate/got/swallowed the canary
US
—used to say that someone looks very proud or satisfied about something he or she has done After pointing out his teacher's mistake, he smiled like the cat that ate the canary.
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like the cat that ate/got/swallowed the canary
like the cat that got the cream
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“Like the cat that ate/got/swallowed the canary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like%20the%20cat%20that%20ate%2Fgot%2Fswallowed%20the%20canary. Accessed 18 Jun. 2021.
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