The idiom "cat's paw" is used to describe a person who is used by someone else to do their dirty work or to carry out a task that is unpleasant or risky. The term comes from an old fable in which a monkey uses a cat's paw to pull chestnuts out of a fire, while the cat gets burned and the monkey enjoys the chestnuts.
In modern usage, the term "cat's paw" can refer to a person who is manipulated or used by someone else for their own purposes. For example, if a boss asks an employee to do something unethical or illegal, the employee might be considered a cat's paw if they go along with the request.
The term can also be used to describe a situation in which someone is unwittingly used as a tool by others. For instance, if a politician makes a controversial statement and a news outlet quotes a random person on the street who agrees with the statement, that person might be considered a cat's paw because they are being used to support the politician's position.
Overall, the idiom "cat's paw" is used to describe a situation in which someone is being used by others for their own benefit, often without realizing it.
• The spy agency recruited a naive journalist as a cat's paw to spread disinformation and create chaos in the country.
• My friend is always used as a cat's paw by his boss to do his dirty work.
• I'm not going to be a cat's paw for anyone, I have my own principles.
• I don't understand what you mean by "cat's paw", can you explain it to me please?
• The politician used his assistant as a cat's paw to spread rumors about his opponent.
• The company used a small competitor as a cat's paw to discredit their main rival.