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===References===
===References===
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{{reflist}}


[[et:wildcat]]
[[et:wildcat]]

Revision as of 06:46, 10 July 2015

English

A European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris)
An American wildcat (Lynx rufus) portrayed by John Audubon
English Wikipedia has an article on:
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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms

Etymology

A contraction of (deprecated template usage) wild cat.

Its adjectival senses were originally American and derived from the "wildcat banks" of Michigan, following its elevation to statehood in 1837. Two laws—one easing the requirements for establishing a new bank and another occasioned by the Panic of 1837 that removed the need for payment in specie—led to the creation and collapse of around 50 banks within two years.[1][2] The term is apocryphally derived from a wildcat supposedly featured on the currency printed by one of these banks,[3] but more probably derived from the remote locations "where the wildcats roamed" chosen by these banks to avoid oversight and minimize redemption of notes.[4]

Pronunciation

Noun

wildcat (plural wildcats)

  1. A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically
    1. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Felis silvestris, a common small Old World wild cat somewhat larger than a house cat.
    2. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. A bobcat (Lynx rufus) or other similar New World species of lynx.
    3. Any feral cat.
    4. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "uncommon" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Template:altspelling, 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, (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "usually" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. 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) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Short for wildcat cartridge, a customized or hand-made cartridge.
  6. (uncommon) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Short for wildcat strike, a strike undertaken without authorization from the relevant trade union.
  7. (obsolete) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Short for wildcat money, notes issued by a wildcat bank.

Hypernyms

Synonyms

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Derived terms

Template:der-mid

Translations

Template:ttbc-top

See also

Adjective

wildcat (not comparable)

  1. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "usually" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especially:
    • 1946, Sigurd Jay Simonsen, The Mongrels
      Then the development of the home country was neglected for some wildcat idea of bringing up the backward people of other lands.
    1. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "pejorative" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Of or concerning irresponsible banks or banking, (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "particularly" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. small, independent operations.
    2. Of or concerning oil exploration in new areas, (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "particularly" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. 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. (deprecated template usage) Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "firearms" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. 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.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

Lua error in Module:en-headword at line 1107: Legacy parameter 1=STEM no longer supported, just use 'en-verb' without params

  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.

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Wittmann, Matthew. "The Wildcat Bank of Brest" for Pocket Change: The Blog of the American Numismatic Society. 14 May 2015.
  2. ^ Dunbar, Willis F. & al. Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State, pp. 222 ff.
  3. ^ Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. "Wild-cat". G. & C. Merriam Co., 1913.
  4. ^ Dwyer, Gerald P. Jr. "Wildcat Banking, Banking Panics, and Free Banking in the United States" for Economic Review. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1996.
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