Noun
Terms relating to animals.; A mammal of the family Felidae.
countable
Mammals need two genes to make the taste receptor for sugar. Studies in various cats (tigers, cheetahs and domestic cats) showed that one of these genes has mutated and no longer works.Terms relating to animals.; A mammal of the family Felidae.; A carnivorous, four-legged, generally furry domesticated species (Felis catus) of feline animal, commonly kept as a house pet.
countableuncountable
At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs.Terms relating to animals.; A mammal of the family Felidae.; A carnivorous, four-legged, generally furry domesticated species (Felis catus) of feline animal, commonly kept as a house pet.; The flesh of this animal eaten as food.
uncountable
“[…]—Say, do you mind telling me if people around here really eat cats?” He felt a shiver in the pit of his stomach. “Do they eat cat?” said the little old man, profoundly shocked.Terms relating to animals.; A mammal of the family Felidae.; Any similar, chiefly non-domesticated, carnivorous mammal of the family Felidae, which includes bobcats, caracals, cheetahs, cougars, leopards, lions, lynxes, tigers, and other such species.
countableuncountable
I grabbed it and ran over to the lion from behind, the cat still chewing thoughtfully on Silent's arm.Terms relating to animals.; Chiefly with a descriptive word: an animal not of the family Felidae which (somewhat) resembles a domestic feline (etymology 1, noun sense 1.1.1).
broadlycountable
civet cat polecatTerms relating to people.; An angry or spiteful person, especially a woman.
countablederogatoryfigurativelyoffensiveuncountable
But, ere one rapid moon its tale has told, / He finds his prize — a cat — a slut — a scold.Terms relating to people.; An ordinary person, especially a man; a fellow, a guy.
countableDated termfigurativelyslanguncountable
Now you've listened to my story / Here's the point that I have made / Cats were born to give chicks fever / Be it Fahrenheit or CentigradeTerms relating to people.; Synonym of itinerant worker.
UScountablefigurativelyslanguncountable
Terms relating to people.; A jazz musician; also, an enthusiast of jazz music.
countablefigurativelyslanguncountable
a jazz catTerms relating to people.; Synonym of prostitute.
countablefigurativelyobsoleteslanguncountable
"Tell me. Willie said there was a cat in love with you. That isn't true, is it?" "Yes. It's true," Hudson corrects her, letting her think that by "cat" he means prostitute.Terms relating to things.; A double tripod for holding a plate, etc., with six feet, of which three rest on the ground in whatever position it is placed.
broadlycountableuncountable
Terms relating to things.; The game of trap ball; also (countable), the trap in that game.
gamesarchaicbroadlyuncountable
A program and command in Unix that reads one or more files and directs their content to the standard output.
computingengineeringmathematicsnatural-sciencesphysical-sciencessciences
A street name of the drug methcathinone.
slang
Abbreviation of catapult.
abbreviationalt-of
a carrier's bow catsAbbreviation of catalytic converter.
abbreviationalt-of
Abbreviation of catamaran.
abbreviationalt-of
These cats are a lot of fun in the harbor, but they're a real thrill on the open ocean riding ground swells.Abbreviation of category.
abbreviationalt-of
Abbreviation of catfish.
abbreviationalt-of
She missed the fish diet of her own country, and twice every summer she sent the boys to the river, twenty miles to the southward, to fish for channel cat.Abbreviation of caterpillar.; Any of a variety of earth-moving machines. (from their manufacturer Caterpillar Inc.)
slang
Abbreviation of caterpillar.; A ground vehicle which uses caterpillar tracks, especially tractors, trucks, minibuses, and snow groomers.
Abbreviation of computed axial tomography; often used attributively, as in “CAT scan” or “CT scan”.
abbreviationalt-of
A piece of heavy machinery, such as a backhoe or bulldozer, of the Caterpillar brand. (Occasionally, loosely, any big yellow machine of the type.)
slang
Upon touring the mine, they found it to be a veritable canyon with some monstrous Cats trundling in the background.A Catalina flying boat.
informal