Crosswords3 mins ago
Copy cat
1 Answers
Where does the phrase 'copy cat' come from?
Answers
Only 1 answer
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by philhughes. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
The word 'cat' itself has been used as a term of abuse for people since the 13th century. Shakespeare certainly used it thus later. The phrase 'copy cat' first appeared in written English in the 1890s, in a story in which the writer said that it had been a favourite term of his grandmother's. Obviously, then, it must have been from an even earlier date in everyday speech. Basically, it is saying someone is despicable because of aping someone else's work.
Only 1 answer
