play\ cat\ and\ mouse\ with

play\ cat\ and\ mouse\ with
v. phr.
To tease or fool (someone) by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again.

Joe's uncle had fun playing cat and mouse with him.

The policeman decided to play cat and mouse when he saw the woman steal the dress in the store.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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  • play cat-and-mouse with — To deal with in a cat and mouse way • • • Main Entry: ↑cat …   Useful english dictionary

  • play cat and mouse with — {v. phr.} To tease or fool (someone) by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again. * /Joe s uncle had fun playing cat and mouse with him./ * /The policeman decided to play cat and mouse when he saw the woman steal the dress in the …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • play cat and mouse with — {v. phr.} To tease or fool (someone) by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again. * /Joe s uncle had fun playing cat and mouse with him./ * /The policeman decided to play cat and mouse when he saw the woman steal the dress in the …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • play cat and mouse with smb — tease or fool someone by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again The boxer was playing cat and mouse with his opponent although he could have won easily …   Idioms and examples

  • play cat and mouse with — play chase, be hard to catch …   English contemporary dictionary

  • play cat and mouse —    To play cat and mouse with someone means to treat them alternately cruelly and kindly, so that they do not know what to expect.     He s difficult to work for, always playing cat and mouse with the employees …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • play (a game of) cat and mouse with somebody — play (a game of) ˌcat and ˈmouse with sb | play a ˌcat and ˈmouse game with sb idiom to play a cruel game with sb in your power by changing your behaviour very often, so that they become nervous and do not know what to expect • He thought the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • play cat and mouse — to try to defeat someone by tricking them into making a mistake so that you have an advantage over them. The 32 year old actress spent a large proportion of the week playing cat and mouse with the press. (often + with) …   New idioms dictionary

  • cat and mouse — noun uncount a situation in which you let someone else believe that they have managed to escape, before you actually catch them: a game of cat and mouse play cat and mouse (with someone): Dora knew the detective was playing cat and mouse with her …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • cat and mouse — noun a game for children in which the players form a circle and join hands; they raise their hands to let a player inside the circle or lower their hands to bar a second player who is chasing the first • Syn: ↑cat and rat • Hypernyms: ↑child s… …   Useful english dictionary

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