cat's-paws

Others' dirty workers

Cat's-paws are light ripples on water caused by a passing breeze, or people used by others to accomplish something risky or unpleasant.

The figurative sense comes from a fable in which a monkey tricks a cat into pulling chestnuts from a fire, burning its paws while the monkey eats the nuts: The junior staffers were cat's-paws for the executives' scheme.

manipulation

dupe

Deceive or victim

  • pawnUnwitting tool of another
  • toolDevice for a task
  • stoogeEasily manipulated pawn

puppet · accomplice · unwitting · scapegoat · instrument · proxy · fall guy · patsy · decoy · intermediary

nautical

ripples

Small surface undulations

windward · zephyr · surface · squall · leeward · sailing · doldrums · gust · water · harbor

knot

hitch

Temporary difficulty or snag

  • riggingRopes controlling ship sails
  • ropeThick twisted fibers
  • loopCurve closing on itself

mooring · cleat · belay · splice · bowline · fastening · nautical · line · securing · tying

Opposites
agency and control

cat's-pawsmasterminds

Plans and directs schemes

puppet masters · manipulators · orchestrators · principals · ringleaders

awareness and intent

cat's-pawsco-conspirators

Joint participants in schemes

partners in crime · confederates · collaborators · free agents · operatives

Family

cat, cats, cat's, paw, paws, pawed, pawing

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G