cat's melody
English
Noun
cat's melody (plural cat's melodies)
- (Ireland, Scotland, dated) a cacophony
- 1860 William Carleton "The Three Wishes; An Irish legend" Irish Life and Character; or, Tales and stories of the Irish peasantry p. 333 (London: Henry Lea):
- The wife within is sending the curses thick and heavy on me, and the childre's playing the cat's melody to keep her in comfort.
- 1926 Hugh MacDiarmid "A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle"
- You vegetable cat's melody!
- Your Concert Miaulant is
- A triumph o' discord shairly
- 2016 Adrian Barnes, Nod "Day 4; Accidental Colours" →ISBN (London: Titan):
- 'This is completely absurd,' I heard him say, his voice barely audible above the screaming that had now started. 'Believe me, I never —'
- Then all we could see was writhing.
- And sounds I don't care to try to represent or transcribe: what used to be called the cat's melody.
- 1860 William Carleton "The Three Wishes; An Irish legend" Irish Life and Character; or, Tales and stories of the Irish peasantry p. 333 (London: Henry Lea):