nine lives

What one is said to have after surviving despite a near encounter with death or disaster. From the common myth that cats have nine lives. I can't believe he survived after his parachute didn't open! He must have nine lives or something. It seems as though the CEO has nine lives, as her company has faced near ruin several times but has managed to remain standing after all these years.

nine lives

If you say that someone has nine lives, you mean that they keep managing to get out of difficult or dangerous situations without being harmed. I was certain that one day my nine lives would run out and I would be caught — or worse. I think this is probably going to be the end, although he has shown he is a political cat with far more than nine lives. Note: This expression is often used to suggest surprise that a person has survived so long. Note: This expression comes from the saying `a cat has nine lives', which people use to say that cats seem to survive a lot of very dangerous situations or events.