WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY, THE MICE WILL PLAY Definition & Meaning

When the cat's away, the mice will play

When a person in authority is away, those under the person's rule will enjoy their freedom.

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Idioms and Phrases

Without supervision, people will do as they please, especially in disregarding or breaking rules. For example, As soon as their parents left, the children invited all their friends over—when the cat's away, you know . This expression has been a proverb since about 1600 and is so well known it is often shortened, as in the example.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Or, if you prefer a different cliché, that when the cat’s away, the mice will play.

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When the cat's away, The mice will play.

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“You see as long as Untsikana was present this fellow Waishlahla dared not annoy us, but now—well, you ought to remember the good old nursery rhyme, ‘When the cat’s away the mice will play!’”

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How good is the Scottish, "Weel kens the mouse when the cat's oot o' the house," paralleled in our English version, "When the cat's away the mice will play," or in the French, "Les rats se promenent a l'aise la ou il n'y a point des chats," and there is a pleasant vein of truth and humour in the assertion that "Mice care not to play with kittens."

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But when the cat’s away the mice will play, you know; so here goes.”

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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