catspaw
Unwitting puppet person
A catspaw is someone used by another to accomplish a purpose—a dupe who takes risks or does dirty work while the manipulator stays safely hidden.
The word comes from a fable in which a monkey tricks a cat into pulling chestnuts from a fire, burning its paw while the monkey eats the nuts.
He was merely a catspaw for the senator's schemes.
In sailing, a catspaw is a light breeze that briefly ripples the water's surface.
Unwitting tool of another
- patsyEasily deceived victim
- stoogeEasily manipulated pawn
- puppetControlled performing figure
- toolDevice for a task
fall guy · mark · scapegoat · decoy · shill · front · proxy · instrument
Minor surface disturbance
- breezeLight, gentle air movement
- puffBrief burst of air
- zephyrMild, gentle breeze
- calmFree from agitation
doldrums · sailing · becalmed · glassy · marlinspike · rigging · knot · seamanship
Performer controlling jointed figures
- schemerCrafty, deceitful planner
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
exploitation · cunning · plotting · maneuvering · leverage · proxy · intermediary · plausible deniability
pawn
Unwitting tool of another
tool · fall guy · mark · scapegoat · decoy · shill · front · proxy · instrument · minion
ripple
Minor surface disturbance
calm · doldrums · sailing · becalmed · glassy · marlinspike · rigging · knot · seamanship
puppeteer
Performer controlling jointed figures
- schemerCrafty, deceitful planner
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
subterfuge · exploitation · cunning · plotting · maneuvering · leverage · proxy · intermediary · plausible deniability · handler
hitch
Temporary difficulty or snag
hook · toggle · lifting · cargo · marlinspike · splice · belay · cleat · secure · load
claw
Curved animal nail
- velvetThick-pile textile
- retractableAble to draw inward
- softYielding to touch
padded · swipe · bat · playful · kitten · scratch · gentle · deft · stealthy · reach
- knotsreef knot, bowline, figure-eight knot, clove hitch, figure eight knot
- pawnspawn, puppet, tool, dupe, patsy
- freshwater mollusksfreshwater clam, floater, pond snail, zebra mussel, papershell
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
catspawmastermind
Scheme's chief planner
puppet master · manipulator · orchestrator · ringleader · schemer
catspawconspirator
One planning in secret
co-conspirator · accomplice · confederate · plotter · schemer