When the cat’s away the mice will play
proverb
People will take advantage of the lack of supervision to break the rules.
As soon as the teacher stepped out of the classroom, the students started talking loudly. It's true what they say: when the cat's away, the mice will play.
Often appears as...
- teacher stepped out
- boss is on vacation
Usage tips
Idiomatic
proverb
People will take advantage of the lack of supervision to break the rules.
As soon as the teacher stepped out of the classroom, the students started talking loudly. It's true what they say: when the cat's away, the mice will play.
Often appears as...
- teacher stepped out
- boss is on vacation
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Metaphorical Mice
This phrase isn't about animals. It metaphorically compares unsupervised people to 'mice' who misbehave.
The interns started playing games as soon as their supervisor left — when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
Pro Tip 2/3Unsupervised Freedom
The 'cat' represents an authority figure. Without them, people feel free to do as they please.
They started a prank war while their manager was away — truly, when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Just Rule Breaking
The phrase can also imply indulging in activities that aren't usually allowed but aren't necessarily bad.
The team ordered pizza for lunch when the health-conscious boss was away — when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
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