cat's paw
Tool for another
A cat's paw is a person used by another to accomplish some purpose—especially a risky or unpleasant one.
The term comes from a fable in which a monkey uses a cat's paw to pull chestnuts from a fire, getting what he wants while the cat gets burned.
He was just a cat's paw for the real conspirators.
In nautical use, a cat's paw is a light ripple on calm water indicating a puff of wind, or a type of hitch used for hooking a tackle to a rope.
Unwitting tool of another
- stoogeEasily manipulated pawn
- patsyEasily deceived victim
- puppetControlled performing figure
- toolDevice for a task
fall guy · scapegoat · mark · sucker · chump · victim · proxy · instrument
Tied rope fastening
- hitchTemporary difficulty or snag
- riggingRopes controlling ship sails
- halyardSail-hoisting tackle
- sheetFlat rectangular material
cleat · mooring · bowline · splice · line · rope · anchor · deck
Light, gentle air movement
- gustBrief wind surge
- waveletsSmall gentle waves
- ruffledDisturbed or trimmed ornamentally
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
calm · wind · water · glassy · disturbance · flutter · shimmer · pond
Performer controlling jointed figures
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
- schemerCrafty, deceitful planner
- handlerOne who manages something
- controllerDevice directing a system
string-puller · orchestrator · exploiter · deceiver · manipulator · plotter · conniver · user
pawn
Unwitting tool of another
tool · fall guy · scapegoat · mark · sucker · chump · victim · proxy · instrument · agent
knot
Tied rope fastening
sheet · cleat · mooring · bowline · splice · line · rope · anchor · deck · mast
breeze
Light, gentle air movement
surface · calm · wind · water · glassy · disturbance · flutter · shimmer · pond · harbor
puppeteer
Performer controlling jointed figures
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
- schemerCrafty, deceitful planner
- handlerOne who manages something
controller · string-puller · orchestrator · exploiter · deceiver · manipulator · plotter · conniver · user · instigator
- carpentry toolsframing square, carpenter's square, circular saw, claw hammer, tape measure
- Australasian plantsbanksia, eucalyptus, wattle, grass tree, bottlebrush
- demolition toolswrecking ball, jackhammer, sledgehammer, crowbar, pry bar
- knotsreef knot, bowline, figure-eight knot, clove hitch, figure eight knot
- pry toolspry bar, crowbar, jimmy, wrecking bar, pinch bar
- pawnspawn, puppet, tool, dupe, patsy
cat's pawmastermind
Scheme's chief planner
puppet master · manipulator · puppeteer · schemer · ringleader
cat's pawinsider
One with confidential access
mastermind · co-conspirator · conniver · schemer · plotter