Farmer’s Slang & Its Analogues. 1890–1909, rev. 2022.
Comb the cat
verbal phr. (nautical).—See quot.
1
1867. W. H. SMYTH, Sailor’s Word-Book. COMBING THE CAT: the boatswain, or other operator, running his fingers through the cat-o’-nine tails to separate them.
