Does "bear cat" mean anything?
Jack is teasing the giant:
Why are you so dumb?
Think you're big?
Say, you're no bigger
than my thumb
You're just a bum, you, TuIip
You're bubbIegum, you, TuIip
You are no bear cat, TuIip
You're just a crybaby scared cat
It's from the cartoon "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 10
0
In old books "bear cat" is sometimes given as a name for the red panda (Ailurus fulgens), but I don't think it's really used nowadays. This usage seems quite irrelevant to the story, though, and I suspect the writer just threw in "bear" because it (almost) rhymes with "scared" in the next line, perhaps intending it to mean a cat that's like a bear.
0
Nope, utterly meaningless! Even spelt bare cat it doesn't really mean anything.
0
No, it doesn't mean anything. It may be an older name for some kind of animal, but we do not use it in USA today.
0
Yes, exactly. That's an interesting idea. Thank you, Jmat.
0
*the two 'dangerous' animals. I don't know if the author realised, but both cats and bears will typically run from danger and only fight if backed into a corner, so it doesn't quite work here.
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!
Start Learning Today
