Cheshire cat

Cheshire cat

One who is smiling smugly or mischievously. The term was popularized by the character in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I knew he had a prank planned for April Fools' Day when he arrived at work grinning like a Cheshire cat.
See also: cat, Cheshire
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Cheshire cat

Having a perpetual, mischievous grin, one that is often indistinguishable from smugness. Although the Cheshire cat is best known as a character in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, it appeared much earlier in popular English culture, so the phrase may have originally referred to cheese made in the country of Cheshire and molded roughly to resemble a grinning cat. Lewis Carroll's feline had the ability to disappear until only its smile remained. The cheese variety would be sliced from hind end to front, which similarly gave the impression that its smile—if cheese showed emotion—would be the last to go.
See also: cat, Cheshire
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • be grinning like a Cheshire cat
  • Cheshire
  • grin like a Cheshire cat
  • smile like a Cheshire cat
  • smiling like a Cheshire cat
  • pleased with
  • pleased with (oneself)
  • pleased with yourself
  • enemy combatant
  • there's no place like home
References in periodicals archive
Cheshire Cat says: "This is the first time I have played Birmingham with Leftfield in 15 years and it is going to be great.
Right time for return of Leftfield
The Cheshire Cat has made around pounds 500 at auction, though a better estimate now might be pounds 220.
Your money: TREASURE HUNTERS; TV's JAMES BREESE on the world of antiques and collectables
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee will be in Haulfre Gardens and Cheshire Cat will be at the West Shore end of Gloddaeth Avenue.
Cheshire Cat on Alice's trail
If I were him, with no many needlessly dead, I would hang my head in shame, not stand there grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Letter: Short points
..Billy seems to be grinning like a Cheshire cat. This photo of the one-year-oldmoggy was sent in by the Shale family who live in Ffordd Bugail in Colwyn Bay
write a caption
PETER HETHERSTON was smiling like a Cheshire cat after watching his Albion Rovers side win a six- goal thriller at Hampden to go top of the Third Division.
Football: QUEEN'S PARK 2 ALBION ROVERS 4
After a few hours Dec emerged grinning like a Cheshire cat with his friend.
24/7: Friend lends Dec a hand..; 24hrs a day, 7 days a week .. Polly Graham parties with the stars to reveal who's at it, on it and up for it
Ex-chief executive Applegarth was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he sat in his flash BMW X5 with his son shortly after the job cuts were announced.
Mr Big's speedy retreat; GLOBAL MONEY CRISIS The ex-boss
Alice (Siobhan McFee), Cheshire Cat (Emmi Bishton), Mad Hatter (Connor Carr) and a Mr Blair (Sukhmun Mander).
A small wonder on stage; HANDSWORTH WOOD
He follows her to Wonderland, where apart from the usual suspects - Cheshire Cat etc - they meet no fewer than four sets of twins.
Arts: Show is a wonder
MACCLESFIELD recorded their eighth draw of the season, but their gritty display against high-flying Brighton still had boss Peter Davenport purring like a Cheshire cat.
FOOTBALL: Glover fed up with Kuipers; MACCLESFIELD 0 BRIGHTON 0
This original story is about a spoilt young girl, who dreams about meeting characters created by Lewis Carroll - the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Tweedle dum and Tweedle dee, the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat and others.
Musical based on Wonderland
SARAH Ferguson grins like a Cheshire cat at a gig by the Pussycat Dolls and Snoop Dogg in New York.
Fergie Dolled up for NY gig
But then last week she frolicked in the snow while I went to work, and this week she's inMadrid, grinning like a Cheshire cat, while I'm wondering if I'llever have enough money to go on holiday again.
Rachael Tinniswood: Posh lost sympathy
GERARD KELLY, he of City Lights and, most recently, Brookside fame, was another one grinning away like a Cheshire cat, his conversation partner obviously relaying a very funny tale.
Joan of dark; Superstar keeps in the shades