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cat-o'-nine-tails
(kat′ə nīn′tālz′)
noun pl. cat-o'nine-tails
a whip made of nine knotted cords attached to a handle, formerly used for flogging
See cat-o'-nine-tails in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. cat-o'-nine-tails
A whip consisting of nine knotted cords fastened to a handle, used in flogging.
Origin:
Origin: So called because it leaves marks like the scratches of a cat
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