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- Dictionarycat-o'-nine-tails/katəˈnʌɪnteɪlz/
noun
- 1. a rope whip with nine knotted cords, formerly used (especially at sea) to flog offenders. historical
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The cat o' nine tails, commonly shortened to the cat, is a type of multi-tailed whip or flail. It originated as an implement for physical punishment, particularly in the Royal Navy and British Army, and as a judicial punishment in Britain and some other countries.
The meaning of CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS is a whip made of usually nine knotted lines or cords fastened to a handle.
CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS definition: 1. a whip (= a long, thin device for hitting) made from rope that has nine ends, that was used…. Learn more.
Cat-o'-nine-tails definition: a whip, usually having nine knotted lines or cords fastened to a handle, used for flogging.. See examples of CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS used in a sentence.
Jul 2, 2024 · Quick Reference. An instrument of punishment with which, in the days of sail, seamen were flogged on their bare backs. It was made of nine lengths of cord, each about 46 centimetres (18 in.) long and with three knots in each, fixed to the end of a larger rope which was used as a handle, and was used in almost every navy in the world.
cat-o'-nine-tails meaning: 1. a whip (= a long, thin device for hitting) made from rope that has nine ends, that was used…. Learn more.
a whip made of nine strings with knots in them, that was used to punish prisoners in the past. He was flogged with a cat-o’-nine tails.
