English
wildcat
Pronunciation
  • (RP, GA) IPA: /ˈwaɪldˌkæt/
Noun

wildcat

  1. A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically
    1. (UK) Felis silvestris, a common small Old World wild cat somewhat larger than a house cat.
    2. (US) A bobcat (Lynx rufus) or other similar New World species of lynx.
    3. Any feral cat.
    4. (uncommon) Alternative spelling of wild cat, any undomesticated felid, as tigers or lions.
      • 2003 April 24, CNN
        Upon checking it out, we found a total of 13 newborn wildcats: nine newborn tigers and two newborn leopards.
  2. (figurative) A person who acts like a wildcat, (usually) a violent and easily-angered person or a sexually vigorous one.
    • 2002 September 26, The Young and the Restless
      Anyone who's man enough to have landed a wildcat like you had to be quite a guy.
  3. (American football) An offensive formation with an unbalanced line and a snap directly to the running back rather than the quarterback.
  4. (nautical) A wheel that can be adjusted so as to revolve either with or on the shaft of a capstan.
  5. (firearms) Clipping of wildcat cartridge#English|wildcat cartridge.
  6. (uncommon) Clipping of wildcat strike#English|wildcat strike, a strike undertaken without authorization from the relevant trade union.
  7. (obsolete) Clipping of wildcat money, notes issued by a wildcat bank.
Synonyms Translations Adjective

wildcat (not comparable)

  1. (usually pejorative) Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especially:
    1. (pejorative, dated) Of or concerning irresponsible banks or banking, (particularly) small, independent operations.
    2. Of or concerning oil exploration in new areas, (particularly) small, independent operations.
    3. Of or concerning actions undertaken by workers without approval or in defiance of the formal leadership of their trade unions.
  2. (firearms) Of or concerning customized or hand-made cartridges.
  3. Unauthorized by the proper authorities.
    • 2003 June 15, CNN
      Jewish settlers have also been active putting up five new wildcat outposts on hilltops in the West Bank to try to thwart their Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Verb

wildcat (wildcats, present participle wildcatting; past and past participle wildcatted)

  1. To drill for oil in an area where no oil has been found before.
    You'd have to be very rich or very desperate to go wildcatting that far east.


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