CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cat-o'-nine-tails mean? 

• CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS (noun)
  The noun CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS has 1 sense:

1. a whip with nine knotted cords

  Familiarity information: CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A whip with nine knotted cords

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

cat; cat-o'-nine-tails

Context example:

British sailors feared the cat

Hypernyms ("cat-o'-nine-tails" is a kind of...):

whip (an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping)