mouse (redirected from mousing)

*poor as a church mouse and *poor as church mice

very poor. (*Also: as ~.) My aunt is as poor as a church mouse. The Browns are poor as church mice.

See also: church, poor

*quiet as a (church) mouse and *quiet as the grave

very quiet. (*Also: as ~.) You'd better be as quiet as a mouse while Grandma takes her nap so you won't wake her up. This town is quiet as the grave now that the factories have closed.

See also: and, grave, quiet

Burn not your house to fright the mouse away.

Prov. Do not do something drastic when it is not necessary. Ellen: I don't like the shape of my nose; I think I'll have surgery to make it look better. Jane: But you can make your nose look better just by using different makeup. Don't burn your house to fright the mouse away. When someone pointed out a small flaw in Bob's latest painting, Bob wanted to tear the whole painting to shreds. "Now, now, Bob," his friends said, "burn not your house to fright the mouse away."

See also: away, burn, house

mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken

Prov. It is dangerous to always depend on just one thing, because if it fails you, you will not have any alternatives. Don't put all your money in a single bank account. The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken.

See also: but, has, hole, one, taken

play cat and mouse with someone

Fig. to be coy and evasive with someone. I know what you are up to. Don't play cat and mouse with me! I wish that they wouldn't play cat and mouse with me!

See also: and, cat, play

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Are you a man or a mouse?

something that you say in order to encourage someone to be brave when they are frightened to do something Just tell your boss that you think she's making the wrong decision: what are you, a man or a mouse?

See also: man

be as quiet as a mouse

to be very quiet She was as quiet as a mouse. I didn't even know she'd come in.

See also: quiet

Mickey-Mouse  (informal)

not important or not good compared with other things of the same type (always before noun) We're talking about a respected organization here - not some Mickey-Mouse outfit.

play cat and mouse

to try to defeat someone by tricking them into making a mistake so that you have an advantage over them (often + with ) The 32-year-old actress spent a large proportion of the week playing cat and mouse with the press.

See also: and, cat, play

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play (a game of) cat and mouse

1. to repeatedly try to make someone react in a way that will cause them problems Enemy warplanes have been playing a deadly game of cat and mouse, trying to bring American fighter planes into range of their missiles.

2. to try to find someone who is hiding from you Border agents played cat and mouse with people trying to enter the country illegally.

Etymology: based on the way a cat plays with a mouse before killing it

See also: and, cat, play