The idiom "cat-and-mouse" refers to a situation where two people or groups are in a game of pursuit, where one is trying to catch or harm the other, while the other is trying to avoid capture or harm. It is often used to describe situations where one person is trying to outsmart or deceive another person.
For example, if two people are playing a game of hide-and-seek, and one person is trying to find the other person, while the other person is trying to avoid being found, this could be described as a cat-and-mouse game.
The idiom can also be used in a more serious context, such as in a police investigation where the police are trying to catch a criminal who is trying to evade capture. In this case, the criminal is the mouse and the police are the cat.
Overall, the idiom "cat-and-mouse" is used to describe situations where there is a lot of tension and uncertainty, as both parties are trying to outsmart each other.
• The detective and the criminal were engaged in a cat-and-mouse chase across the city.
• The author's use of language created a cat-and-mouse game between the reader and the protagonist, keeping them on edge until the very end.
• The cat-and-mouse game between the two kids continued for hours in the playground.
• The negotiations between the two countries were like a cat-and-mouse game, with neither side willing to make concessions.
• The company's marketing strategy seemed to be a cat-and-mouse game with their competitors.
• The journalist's investigation into the corruption scandal became a cat-and-mouse game with powerful politicians and businessmen.