catspaw

cat's-paw

C c

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [kats-paw]
- /ˈkætsˌpɔ/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [kats-paw]
- /ˈkætsˌpɔ/

Definitions of catspaw word

noun catspaw a person used to serve the purposes of another; tool. 1
noun catspaw Nautical. a hitch made in the bight of a rope so that two eyes are formed to hold the hook of one block of a tackle. a light breeze that ruffles the surface of the water over a comparatively small area. the small area ruffled by such a breeze. 1
noun catspaw Alternative spelling of cat's-paw. 1

See all 3 definitions of catspaw

Information block about the term

Origin of catspaw

First appearance:

before 1650

One of the 45% oldest English words

First recorded in 1650-60

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Catspaw

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Catspaw

catspaw popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 32% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

According to our data about 55% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

catspaw usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for catspaw

noun catspaw

stooge — an entertainer who feeds lines to the main comedian and usually serves as the butt of his or her jokes.
sucker — a person or thing that sucks.
tool — an implement, especially one held in the hand, as a hammer, saw, or file, for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.
dupe — duplicate.
instrument — a mechanical tool or implement, especially one used for delicate or precision work: surgical instruments.

All 9 Synonyms of catspaw