play cat and mouse with

Meaning

1. Oxford100% of films

   to play a cruel game with sb in your power by changing your behaviour very often, so that they become nervous and do not know what to expect

   Maybe you were playing cat-and-mouse with me.

In the movies · 1

• Maybe you were playing cat-and-mouse with me.Double Indemnity1944
• You've been playing cat and mouse with me ever since you came here.Wedding Crashers2005
• Don't "mother" me. Playing cat and mouse and keeping my boy locked up.His Girl Friday1940

Learn it in full scenes

• Double Indemnity1944
  • Walter Meets Phyllis
  • Neff Flirts With Phyllis
  • Keyes Busts Garlopis's Fake Claim
• His Girl Friday1940
  • Hildy Tells Walter She's Remarrying
  • Hildy Quits the Post
  • Walter Meets Bruce Baldwin

From the same entry

• be the cat's whiskers
• let the cat out of the bag
• like a cat on hot bricks
• like a cat that's got the cream
• cat got your tongue
• look like the cat brought in
• not have a cat in hell's chance
• put the cat among the pigeons
• when the cat's away the mice will play
• curiosity killed the cat
• like herding cats
• be raining cats and dogs