Idiom
Catspaw
Definition
A catspaw is a person who is used by another to do their bidding, often in an unscrupulous manner or for a hidden purpose.
Examples
He was nothing more than a catspaw, doing the bidding of the powerful boss.
The politician was just a catspaw, doing the dirty work of the party leaders.
Origin
The phrase catspaw comes from an old story about a monkey using a cat’s paw to pull chestnuts from a fire. The cat’s paw was burned, but the monkey was unharmed.
Faqs
Q1: What does catspaw mean? A1: A catspaw is a person who is used by another to do their bidding, often in an unscrupulous manner or for a hidden purpose.
Q2: Where does the phrase catspaw come from? A2: The phrase catspaw comes from an old story about a monkey using a cat’s paw to pull chestnuts from a fire.