cat and mouse: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Intermediate (B1-B2)Informal to neutral; common in narrative, journalistic, and conversational contexts.
Quick answer
What does “cat and mouse” mean?
A situation involving constant pursuit, evasion, or strategic moves between two parties, where one is dominant (the cat) and the other evasive (the mouse).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A situation involving constant pursuit, evasion, or strategic moves between two parties, where one is dominant (the cat) and the other evasive (the mouse).
A prolonged, strategic interaction characterized by pursuit and evasion, often implying a power imbalance. Can describe games, psychological tactics, law enforcement, competitive strategy, or interpersonal dynamics where one party toys with or relentlessly pursues another.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical in both varieties. The phrase is equally common.
Connotations
Consistently implies cunning, evasion, pursuit, and often a degree of futility or inevitability for the 'mouse.'
Frequency
High frequency in comparable contexts (media, everyday speech) in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “cat and mouse” in a Sentence
[Subject] play cat and mouse with [Object]A cat-and-mouse game between [Party A] and [Party B]It's a case of cat and mouse.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cat and mouse” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- For months, the detective and the thief cat-and-moused across the capital.
American English
- The hacker and the security team have been cat-and-mousing for weeks.
adverb
British English
- The negotiations proceeded cat-and-mouse, with each side testing the other's limits.
American English
- They lived cat-and-mouse, constantly looking over their shoulders.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Describes competitive strategies between companies, e.g., takeover bids or market undercutting.
Academic
Used in political science, game theory, or criminology to describe strategic interactions with asymmetric power.
Everyday
Describes situations with police and suspects, parents and teenagers, or any ongoing battle of wits.
Technical
Used in computing/cybersecurity to describe the interaction between hackers and security systems.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cat and mouse”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cat and mouse”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cat and mouse”
- Using 'cat with mouse' or 'cat vs. mouse' instead of the fixed phrase 'cat and mouse'.
- Using it to describe a short, simple chase rather than a prolonged strategic game.
- Incorrectly hyphenating when not used attributively (e.g., 'They played cat-and-mouse' is wrong; 'They played a cat-and-mouse game' is correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it typically implies a prolonged series of strategic moves, evasions, and pursuits, not a single, brief incident.
Only when it functions as an attributive adjective before a noun (e.g., 'a cat-and-mouse game'). Otherwise, it's unhyphenated (e.g., 'They played cat and mouse').
The phrase describes the dynamic, not the outcome. The 'mouse' can win by evading indefinitely or outsmarting the 'cat,' which is a common twist in the narrative use of the phrase.
It originates from the natural predatory behavior observed between cats and mice, which was a common domestic sight for centuries. Its figurative use was popularized in the early 20th century.
A situation involving constant pursuit, evasion, or strategic moves between two parties, where one is dominant (the cat) and the other evasive (the mouse).
Cat and mouse is usually informal to neutral; common in narrative, journalistic, and conversational contexts. in register.
Cat and mouse: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkæt ən ˈmaʊs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkæt ən ˈmaʊs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play cat and mouse with someone”
- “a cat-and-mouse game”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry: Tom (cat) constantly devises plans to catch Jerry (mouse), who always cleverly evades. This endless, strategic chase is the essence of 'cat and mouse.'
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A HUNT / CONFLICT IS ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (pursuer as predator, pursued as prey).
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is the phrase 'cat and mouse' LEAST appropriate?