Cheshire cat

noun

1. a constantly grinning cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Cheshire cat

1. A cat with an enormous grin encountered by Alice in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. The cat tends to disappear, leaving only its smile hanging in the air.

“Smiling like a Cheshire cat” refers to anyone with a conspicuous and long-lasting smile.

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. grin like a Cheshire cat, to smile or grin inscrutably.

Example Sentences

Like the steward, he is grinning like a Cheshire cat today.

From BBC

Here, Cheshire cats and mad hatters have been bumped for odd shopkeepers and pot-smoking venture capitalists.

From Salon

Val and I were talking about when our respective sons were toddlers, throwing from a crib a mountain of Beanie Babies while smiling like Cheshire cats.

From Salon

“That may have been discussed as one of several possibilities,” the prosecutor replied with a Cheshire cat grin.

From Literature

When the conversation is flowing effortlessly about a niche show you both like, you can’t help but grin like a Cheshire cat.

From Los Angeles Times