Pronunciation: /wɛn ðə kæts əˈweɪ, ðə maɪs wɪl pleɪ/
noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things
A1 My grandmother always says 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
A2 In our office, we have a relaxed atmosphere and tend to follow the saying 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
B1 The manager is strict, but when he goes on vacation, the employees tend to relax and follow the motto 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
B2 During the CEO's absence, the employees took advantage of the situation and followed the old saying 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
C1 The lack of supervision led to chaos in the department, proving the truth of the saying 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
C2 The team members took advantage of the manager's absence to bend the rules, demonstrating the reality of 'when the cat's away, the mice will play'.
verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence
A1 When the cat's away, the mice will play means that people will misbehave when there is no one in charge.
A2 I heard that when the cat's away, the mice will play so I made sure to keep an eye on my siblings while my parents were out.
B1 The employees tend to slack off when the boss is not around, it's like when the cat's away, the mice will play.
B2 The students took advantage of the substitute teacher's leniency, proving the saying when the cat's away, the mice will play.
C1 The political leaders often engage in corrupt activities when the public's attention is elsewhere, it's a classic case of when the cat's away, the mice will play.
C2 The CEO's absence allowed the lower-level employees to manipulate company funds, demonstrating the truth behind the saying when the cat's away, the mice will play.
adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb
A1 When the cat's away, the mice will play means that people will misbehave when there is no one to watch them.
A2 My parents always told me that when the cat's away, the mice will play, so I knew I had to behave when they weren't home.
B1 When the cat's away, the mice will play is a saying that warns people to be cautious when no one is supervising them.
B2 I learned the hard way that when the cat's away, the mice will play, as my coworkers were slacking off when our boss was on vacation.
C1 The concept of when the cat's away, the mice will play can be seen in various situations where people take advantage of lack of supervision.
C2 When the cat's away, the mice will play is a common phrase used to describe how people may act when they think they won't get caught.
conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause
A1 When the cat's away, the mice will play means that people will misbehave when there is no authority figure around.
A2 When the cat's away, the mice will play, so make sure to lock the doors when you leave the house.
B1 When the cat's away, the mice will play, but that doesn't excuse irresponsible behavior.
B2 When the cat's away, the mice will play, so it's important to establish clear rules and boundaries.
C1 When the cat's away, the mice will play, revealing the true nature of individuals when they think no one is watching.
C2 When the cat's away, the mice will play, illustrating the importance of accountability and supervision in any organization.
article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun
A1 When the cat's away, the mice will play means that people will misbehave when there is no one in charge.
A2 The phrase 'when the cat's away, the mice will play' suggests that without supervision, people may act irresponsibly.
B1 The saying 'when the cat's away, the mice will play' implies that in the absence of authority, individuals may take advantage of the situation.
B2 When the cat's away, the mice will play is a proverb that highlights how people may behave freely when not being watched.
C1 The idiom 'when the cat's away, the mice will play' reflects the idea that individuals tend to relax their behavior when not under supervision.
C2 The expression 'when the cat's away, the mice will play' conveys the concept that people often engage in mischief when not being monitored.
formal In the absence of the cat, the mice will engage in recreational activities.
informal When the cat's away, the mice will play around.
slang When the cat's not looking, the mice will party.
figurative When there is no authority figure present, people will take advantage of the situation.
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