catspaws
Manipulated naive accomplices
Catspaws are people used by others to accomplish risky or unpleasant tasks—unwitting tools for someone else's purposes.
The image comes from a fable in which a monkey tricks a cat into pulling chestnuts from a fire, burning its paws while the monkey eats.
He realized too late he'd been made a catspaw for the senator's schemes.
Also spelled cat's-paws.
Unwitting tool of another
- stoogeEasily manipulated pawn
- puppetControlled performing figure
- toolDevice for a task
- patsyEasily deceived victim
fall-guy · minion · lackey · proxy · front · figurehead · scapegoat · accomplice
Minor surface disturbance
- breezeLight, gentle air movement
- zephyrMild, gentle breeze
- flukeChance stroke of luck
- rufflePleated fabric edging
airflow · puff · calm · lull · draft · knot · rigging · mooring
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
stratagem · artifice · maneuver · trick · feint · guile · chicanery · manipulation
pawn
Unwitting tool of another
patsy · fall-guy · minion · lackey · proxy · front · figurehead · scapegoat · accomplice · henchman
ripple
Minor surface disturbance
ruffle · airflow · puff · calm · lull · draft · knot · rigging · mooring · halyard
ruse
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
machination · stratagem · artifice · maneuver · trick · feint · guile · chicanery · manipulation · scheming
paw
Animal's clawed foot
retractable · soft · furry · kitten · tabby · feline · scratch · knead · swat · bat
catspawsmasterminds
Plans and directs schemes
puppet masters · manipulators · orchestrators · schemers · architects
catspawsprincipals
Chief school administrators
bosses · leaders · chiefs · kingpins · ringleaders