wildcat

1. 1

   A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically:; Felis silvestris, a common small Old World wild cat somewhat larger than a house cat.UK

2. 2

   A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically:; A bobcat (Lynx rufus) or other similar New World species of lynx.US

3. 3

   A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically:; Any feral cat.

4. 4

   A cat that lives in the wilderness, specifically:; Alternative spelling of wild cat, any undomesticated felid, as tigers or lions.alt-ofalternativeuncommon

   • 2003 April 24, CNN Upon checking it out, we found a total of 13 newborn wildcats: nine newborn tigers and two newborn leopards.
5. 5

   A person who acts like a wildcat, (usually) a violent and easily-angered person or a sexually vigorous one.figuratively

   • 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.
6. 6

   An offensive formation with an unbalanced line and a snap directly to the running back rather than the quarterback.

7. 7

   A wheel that can be adjusted so as to revolve either with or on the shaft of a capstan.

8. 8

   Clipping of wildcat cartridge.abbreviationalt-ofclipping

9. 9

   Clipping of wildcat strike (“a strike undertaken without authorization from the relevant trade union”).abbreviationalt-ofclipping

10. 10

    Clipping of wildcat money (“notes issued by a wildcat bank”).abbreviationalt-ofclipping

syn. bobcat

1. 1

   Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especiallyderogatorynot-comparableusually

   • Then the development of the home country was neglected for some wildcat idea of bringing up the backward people of other lands.
2. 2

   Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especially:; Of or concerning irresponsible banks or banking, (particularly) small, independent operations.datedderogatorynot-comparable

3. 3

   Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especially:; Of or concerning oil exploration in new areas, (particularly) small, independent operations.derogatorynot-comparableusually

4. 4

   Of or concerning businesses operating outside standard or legitimate practice, especially:; Of or concerning actions undertaken by workers without approval or in defiance of the formal leadership of their trade unions.derogatorynot-comparableusually

5. 5

   Of or concerning customized or hand-made cartridges.not-comparable

6. 6

   Unauthorized by the proper authorities.not-comparable

   • 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.

1. 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.