Meaning of civvy cat | Babel Free

Definitions

Originally the civet of Africa and Asia; now a skunk.

US, regional

Examples

“I hope it's nothing to make you smell like a civvy-cat, for I can't sit in the coach with none of them there French stinks, it poisons me alive, and so pray don't let's have no poppy-loat.”

“civvy-cat, n. A civet, a little striped skunk, very similar to the phoby-cat of the Southwest.”

“Inclusion of exotic dishes on the bill of fare has also been announced. Soup sandwiches on pretzels, baked jack rabbit under glass, roast breast of mink, sirloin of catfish, southern fried civvy cat, prairie dog au gratin and other choice morsels will be featured daily.”

“Animal with the bad odor. For the familiar black-and-white animals (Mephitis, Spilogale, etc.) that secrete musk, or worse, the most widely known word is polecat (69); but skunk (52), which is in general characteristic of the Northern part of the country, is gaining ground. A few informants use civet cat (6) and civvy cat (2.2), although some state that this means a different kind of varmint.”

“I ought to of known it because from the time I was five I had hunted cottontail rabbits, skunks, and civvy cats all over it and I was the only secret operative in the area, as well as the official Konawa Leader newspaper correspondent for the entire River Bend.”

“He's like one them Idaho civvy cats. If you try to git too close to 'im, he'll pee on you sho’s the world!”

CEFR level