whip the cat

There was a terrible "whipping of the cat, " as it is called, on the day the notes became due. This whipping the cat is nothing more than a parcel of traders puffing at one another's heels . . . to borrow money.

He kept school within six miles of Cooperstown, on the Burlington road, whipping the cat, just as young Munro did!

I believe one of the members of our hunting section was lucky enough to get a subscription through before they stopped it. The rest of the members of the section have been "whipping the cat” because they left it too late

Whipping the cat may only increase our resentment and burn us up with anger. We may engage in combat with our neighbor until both are exhauste . Calling a truce and limping back under our own roof would not be peace.

Presumably while Armin as Tutch is off “whipping the cat” ( getting drunk ) with the watermen, Blue John, his doubled part, arrives to entertain the wedding guests with his nurse and a boy.

The practice of "whipping the cat,” though gradually disappearing, is not altogether abandoned by the tailors in this district.

Some recommend taking the dead bird away from the cat and whipping the cat.