À Bon Chat, Bon Rat

C1 8+

Pronunciation: /ɑ bɑn ʃæt, bɑn ræt/

Definitions of à bon chat, bon rat

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

Example Sentences

A1 I heard someone say 'à bon chat, bon rat' but I'm not sure what it means.

A2 My French friend told me that 'à bon chat, bon rat' is a common expression in their language.

B1 When negotiating with him, she used the phrase 'à bon chat, bon rat' to indicate she was not easily fooled.

B2 In the game of politics, it's often a case of 'à bon chat, bon rat' where each side tries to outsmart the other.

C1 The lawyer's strategy was to play 'à bon chat, bon rat' with the prosecution to gain an advantage in the case.

C2 The spy masterfully executed a plan of 'à bon chat, bon rat' to deceive his enemies and achieve his mission objectives.

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

Example Sentences

A1 À bon chat, bon rat. C'est la vie!

A2 Je vais essayer de lui dire la vérité, à bon chat, bon rat.

B1 À bon chat, bon rat, je vais devoir affronter les conséquences de mes actes.

B2 Il a essayé de me tromper, mais à bon chat, bon rat, j'ai découvert la vérité.

C1 À bon chat, bon rat, je sais comment agir pour obtenir ce que je veux.

C2 À bon chat, bon rat, je suis prêt à affronter tous les obstacles qui se présentent à moi.

interjection a word or phrase that expresses a sudden or strong feeling or emotion

Example Sentences

A1 À bon chat, bon rat!

A2 Quand le chat est parti, les souris dansent, à bon chat, bon rat!

B1 J'ai essayé de lui jouer un tour, mais il m'a devancé en disant 'à bon chat, bon rat'.

B2 Il a réussi à déjouer mes plans en me répondant avec un sourire malicieux, 'à bon chat, bon rat'.

C1 La rivalité entre eux est intense, c'est toujours 'à bon chat, bon rat'.

C2 Dans ce jeu de pouvoir, chacun sait jouer ses cartes, c'est 'à bon chat, bon rat'.

Examples of à bon chat, bon rat in a Sentence

formal The phrase 'à bon chat, bon rat' is often used in French literature to describe a situation where both parties are evenly matched.

informal When it comes to negotiations, it's always 'à bon chat, bon rat' with those two - neither one is willing to back down.

slang In a game of wits, it's always 'à bon chat, bon rat' - no one can outsmart the other.

figurative Their relationship can be described as 'à bon chat, bon rat' - they are constantly trying to outsmart each other.

Grammatical Forms of à bon chat, bon rat

past tense

à bon chat, bon rat

plural

à bons chats, bons rats

comparative

plus bon chat, plus bon rat

superlative

le meilleur chat, le meilleur rat

present tense

à bon chat, bon rat

future tense

à bon chat, bon rat

perfect tense

à bon chat, bon rat

continuous tense

en train de bon chat, bon rat

singular

à bon chat, bon rat

positive degree

bon chat, bon rat

infinitive

à bon chat, bon rat

gerund

en bon chatant, en bon ratant

participle

ayant bon chaté, ayant bon raté

Origin and Evolution of à bon chat, bon rat

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: French
Story behind the word: The phrase 'à bon chat, bon rat' originated in French.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in the 17th century, the phrase translates to 'tit for tat' or 'an eye for an eye'. It conveys the idea that when dealing with a cunning or tricky person, one must be equally cunning or tricky in return. Over time, the phrase has come to be used more broadly to mean 'fight fire with fire' or 'give as good as you get'.