tomcat

• tom cat, tom-cat

From Tom + cat, popularised by The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760), by an anonymous author, in which the male cat was called Tom.

tomcat (plural tomcats)

1. A tom, a male cat.

tomcat (third-person singular simple present tomcats, present participle tomcatting, simple past and past participle tomcatted)

1. To prowl for sexual gratification.
   • 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, p. 539:

     He would not go roaming the streets tom-catting like Mr Schick.

• tomcat around

• caterwaul

• Cottam