tear a cat
To overact; to violently rant and rave on stage.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The actor loves to tear a cat during his dramatic scenes.”
“The director told the lead actor to stop tearing a cat and perform the scene with more subtlety.”
“His tendency to tear a cat whenever he reached a monologue often distracted the audience from the play's underlying emotional depth.”
- 01
bell the cat
To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.
- 02
cat and dog life
An unhappy married life marked by arguments and disagreements.
- 03
cat got someone's tongue
Why is someone not saying anything?
- 04
cat in the meal-tub
Something concealed; a hidden danger.
- 05
cat piss
Any beverage of low quality.
- 06
cat that ate the canary
A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.
- 07
cat's cradle
Any complicated structure that appears to be without purpose.
- 08
cat's meow
A self-satisfied person.
Last updated August 10, 2026