the cat's pajamas similar phrases
In The Cat's Pajamas, Canadian children's author and illustrator Wallace Edwards tackles a tricky but fun part of the English language: idioms.An idiom, as it's explained in the front of the book, is "a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood from the meaning of the individual words; an expression, peculiar to a specific language, that cannot be translated literally." The Cat Pack. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Similar phrases that didn't endure: the eel's ankle, the elephant's instep, and the snake's hip. This was a nonsensical phrase of the 1920s that meant something worth seeing or having. Also the name of my kitty rescue. The pajamas … What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”? Oh, yes, and he wants you to send him some new pajamas—only two or three pairs, and you're not to send him mauve ones. In this expression, the word care refers to a burdened state of mind or anxiety, and the phrase is probably a reference to the myth that cats have nine lives, making them difficult to extinguish. All our pajamas that are currently on sale. Bet You Can’t Guess Where The Word “Glamour” Comes From, The Forgotten Verses Of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. That girl wearing those Paris Hilton sunglasses must think she's the cats pajamas. What does cat's pajamas expression mean? (Surely, if cats had PJs, they would be cool!) The Cat’s Pajamas; Zlatoena Designs; Mew Paper Arts; Tamara Hess; Susan Blanchard; Lyzz Viviano; Videos. They are comfortable, well-made, attractive, durable and the customer service is excellent. We do know that it's been with us for a few centuries; the first record of its usage is from 1760, and Charlotte Bronte used it in her 1849 novel, Shirley: "This last epithet I choose to suppress, because it would let the cat out of the bag." Curiosity killed the cat. Redefine your inbox with Dictionary.com updates. Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group. What’s The Difference Between “Assure,” “Ensure,” And “Insure”? Despite the fact that these two animals generally prefer to keep their distance from one another, cats and dogs have been paired in expressions to evoke strife or hostility since the 1570s. Does The Month of March Have Anything To Do With “Marching”? It is one of a handful of slang expressions to emerge in the early to mid-1920s featuring animals. dogs bollocks, go and get me a Bovril” For thousands of years, street food culture has enriched the towns and cities of India with vibrant colours, heady aromas and unforgettable flavours that everyone should encounter in a life well lived. Similar phrases that didn't endure: the eel's ankle, the elephant's instep, and the snake's hip. Fun, right?As we go roaring into this decade, let’s take a look back at how people spoke 100 years ago. Of the many such phrases only the bee's knees and the cat's pajamas remain in regular use. THE CAT'S PAJAMAS. From wearing pajamas to looking at kings and raining with dogs, cats have found themselves in quite a few peculiar scenarios in the English language. 'The cat's pajamas' is a nonsense phrase but there is some sense behind it. (idiomatic) A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects. A Smack Of Jellyfish, A Zeal of Zebras, And Other Fun Animal Group Names, 600 New Words And Definitions: The Latest Updates To Dictionary.com, Take Your Résumé to the Next Level With These Action Verbs, “Resume” vs. “Résumé”: A Brief Account Of Their Differences. From the cat-o'-nine-tails to the "pig in a poke" scam, there are a number of fanciful stories about the origin of this curious phrase, meaning "to divulge a secret," but none have been verified. Before curiosity, it was care that killed the cat. This now obscure idiom was used to express the set of things that an inferior may do in front of a superior. Popular in the US as early as 1922 around which the bee's knees, cat's whiskers, and numerous other similar phrases gained prominence. To ensure you get the hang of it, each expression is used in a sentence and explained at the back of the book. The phrase care killed the cat appeared in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in 1599: "though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care." A sense of expectant fear gripped him as he lifted one of the hands to unbutton his pajamas. Sometimes attributed to cartoonist Thomas Dorgan. ... Tom's new Cadillac is really the cat's pajamas! Fittingly, playwright James Robinson Planche used it in 1838 when he adapted the French fairy tale Puss in Boots for the stage: "Allow us just applause to win Enough to make a cat laugh." We offer vibrant colors, bold prints and whimsical sophistication with a comfortable fit using the best available fabrics and all at an affordable cost. We can talk about the cat’s pajamas or cat’s meow to convey the very height of perfection. Other similar phrases include the cat's pyjamas and the chiefly North American the cat's miaou. Twenty years ago my sister-in-law gave me my first ever pair of Cat's Pajamas. This phrase means "to rain very heavily," but why cats and dogs? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. (noun) Dictionary ! It’s not too hard to figure out the meaning of this one: Don’t put too much … I loved them and I've owned no other pajamas since. Pronunciation In Reply to: THE CAT'S PAJAMAS posted by Bob Dylan on July 03, 2004: Who started it? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. For the last 60 years I (former printer) understood the expression ‘Cat’s whiskers’ was an expression of something being ‘The best’ whereas ‘Dog’s Bollocks’ was ‘The worst’ as in “Oi! The origin on this phrase is unknown, but perhaps it's a play on what's widely perceived to be the dignified and composed disposition of the feline. This lesser-known expression is said of something very funny, as in "That YouTube video was enough to make a cat laugh." Meaning: Leave things alone, especially if they can stir up trouble. Those crazy rinestone studded teeth are the cat's pajamas! "The cat's pajamas" appears to have found purchase in the U.S. flapper culture of the 1920s. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Cat's Pajamas Slang Used in the 20 ’s, this expression is very similar to "cool." Save the homeless kitties. What does cat-s-pajamas mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. cats pajamas phrase. The officer found Balboa, dressed in a suit of pajamas engaged in superintending the roofing of a house. The phrase "the bee's knees", meaning "the height of excellence ", became popular in the U.S. in the 1920s, along with "the cat's whiskers" (possibly from the use of these in radio crystal sets), "the cat's pajamas " (pajamas were still new enough to be daring), and similar phrases that didn't endure: "the eel's ankle", "the elephant's instep", "the snake's hip" and "the capybara's spats". The Cat's Pajamas depicts 26 idioms, bringing new meaning to familiar sayings and tickling your funny bone with a surreal illustration on each page. Definition of cat's pajamas in the Idioms Dictionary. Bee's knees, canary's tusks, and flea's eyebrows are a few of the others. In pajamas and bathrobe, I stalked down the stairs and into the room that had once been a kitchen and now was Greco's laboratory. 2 thoughts on “ Cat’s pajamas, bee’s knees and dog’s bollocks ” Gerry Markine May 1, 2014 at 3:50 am. In spite of being short, he was broad-shouldered and compact in plain gray evening pajamas. cats pyjamas phrase. Where did it start? Freebies; Free Cutables; About. Read 2 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. A number of these phrases — the cat's pajamas, the cat's meow, the sardine's whiskers, the clam's garter — may be suggestive of a certain piece of female anatomy (cats … (Surely, if cats had PJs, they would be cool!) Origin: The … Which Turkey Came First: The Bird Or The Nation? Synonyms for Cat's Pajamas (other words and phrases for Cat's Pajamas). cat's pajamas ; Etymology . The boys chuckled at the ludicrous sight of Stacy Brown in his pajamas singing a lullaby to the dignified Professor. Technique How-Tos; Product Tutorials; Free. These classic phrases sprang up around the 1920s , and still have that old time-y charm as a result. When it comes to the true origins of this phrase, the cat remains very much in the bag. This was a nonsensical phrase of the 1920s that meant something worth seeing or having. Similar phrases: the bee's knees and the cat's meow. Love, love, love The Cat's Pajamas. Another way to say Cat's Pajamas? What does cats pajamas expression mean? Find 55 ways to say cat's pajamas, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Definition of the cat's pajamas in the Idioms Dictionary. cat's pajamas phrase. Boy, that singer last night was the cat's pajamas, wasn't she? the cat's pajamas phrase. Anyway, by 1922, The New York Times quoted an unidentified flapper as describing a sundae as “the cat’s meow,” and by 1926 “the cat’s pajamas” was well known enough for Hollywood to use the phrase for the title of a comedy involving a cat, a seamstress, and an operatic tenor. But if nipping over to Delhi, Goa or Kerala doesn’t quite fit in with your schedule, come to The Cat’s Pyjamas and revel in the authentic Indian experience right here in LS6. Here's another one: to turn the cat in the pan was a phrase dating back to the 1430s meaning "to shuffle the order of things to make them seem to be the opposite of what they are.". “Resume” vs. “Résumé”: A Brief Account Of Their Differences. Posted by ESC (USA) on July 03, 2004. Their coupling in this tempestuous expression could be a gesture toward the inhospitable conditions a heavy rainstorm produces. From wearing pajamas to looking at kings and raining with dogs, cats have found themselves in quite a few peculiar scenarios in the English language. Here's another one: to turn the cat in the pan was a phrase dating back to the 1430s meaning "to shuffle the order of things to make them seem to be the opposite of what they are." Definition of cats pyjamas in the Idioms Dictionary. Said Phrase Finder: "In the 1920s the urban east-coast cities of the USA were a … There is a related 'cat' expression - … In his 1721 Universal Etymological English Dictionary, lexicographer Nathan Bailey referred to this as a "saucy proverb" used by pragmatic persons as a reminder of class etiquette, "for tho' peasants may look at and honor great men, patriots, and potentates, yet they are not to spit in their faces.". Menu. The term ‘cat’s pajamas’ comes from E.B. Perhaps pajamas and robes and dark rooms would keep them from her until they were gone. You can also use the term "the cat's pajamas," which means the same thing. “The cat’s pajamas” is just one of a string of phrases from the 1920s used to describe someone or something outstanding or remarkable, usually indicating stylishness or innovation. The phrase first appeared as "it shall raine..Dogs and Polecats." No longer could there be any doubt that he was a man, for as he ran the legs of his woolen pajamas showed beneath the white robe. Polecats might refer to ferrets or skunks. This was a nonsensical phrase of the 1920s that meant something worth seeing or having. “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time. Having undressed, he slipped on a suit of pajamas, crept into his sleeping-bag and was soon fast asleep. The divan would have honored a palace, and Willie's pajamas were of silk, and his bathrobe was of brocaded silk. What does cats pyjamas expression mean? Katz, an English tailor of the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, who made the finest silk pajamas for royalty and other wealth patrons. A general order has been sent out from the Keith office to all Keith, Moss and Proctor vaudeville houses, instructing resident managers to hereafter bar the use by artists of the current slang phrases, “That’s the Cat’s Meow,” “Cat’s Pajamas,” “Hot Dog,” “Hot Cat,” etc. When someone mentions “the ‘20s” you probably think of flappers, speakeasies, and The Great Gatsby.And that’s all totally valid… but also, it’s the ‘20s again right now. What does the cat's pajamas expression mean? Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Bettmann / Getty. American cartoonist Thomas Aloysius "Tad" Dorgan is often credited with coining this colorful phrase, which is used to refer to someone or something wonderful or remarkable. From Suffrage To Sisterhood: What Does Feminism Actually Mean? The Cat's Pajamas book. How did it start? Definition of cats pajamas in the Idioms Dictionary.