when the cat's away, the mice will play
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when the cat's away, the mice will play
When someone in authority is not present, those subordinate to that authority do whatever they want. A: "If I leave my classroom for even a moment, I come back to find the place in chaos." B: "When the cat's away, the mice will play."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
When the cat's away, the mice will play.
Prov. When no one in authority is present, the subordinates can do as they please. When the teacher left for a few minutes, the children nearly wrecked the classroom. When the cat's away, the mice will play. Jill: You shouldn't be reading a novel at your desk. Jane: But the boss isn't here. And when the cat's away, the mice will play.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
Without supervision, people will do as they please, especially in disregarding or breaking rules. For example, As soon as their parents left, the children invited all their friends over-when the cat's away, you know . This expression has been a proverb since about 1600 and is so well known it is often shortened, as in the example.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
when the cat's away
orwhile the cat's away
If you say when the cat's away or while the cat's away, you mean that people behave badly when their boss or another person in authority is not there. While the cat's away — while a supervisor was out, employees were coming in late. When the cat's away... While Mr Schroder was on his travels his rivals were winning points at home. Note: People sometimes say the whole phrase, when the cat's away, the mice will play or while the cat's away, the mice will play. `You seem to be having a good time!' — `While the cat's away the mice will play.'
See also: away
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
when the cat's away, the mice will play
people will naturally take advantage of the absence of someone in authority to do as they like. proverbFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
when the cat’s aˈway the mice will ˈplay
(saying) people enjoy themselves more and behave with greater freedom when the person in charge of them is not thereFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
when the cat's away (the mice will play)
When the authorities are absent, people will break rules and do as they please. This proverb, which exists in numerous languages, appeared in several different forms in English in the seventeenth century. Thomas Heywood used it in A Woman Kill’d with Kindness (1607): “There’s an old proverb—when the cat’s away, the mouse may play.” Today it is often shortened.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
- when the cat's away
- when the cat's away (the mice will play)
- when the cat's away the mice will play
- put (one) in charge (of someone or something)
- take charge of (someone or something)
- lose (one's) hold over (someone or something)
- responsible party
- take charge
- gray eminence
- prophet is not without honor save in his own country