cat's cradle
"Cat's cradle" refers to both a traditional children's game involving string and a metaphor for complex, intricate situations.
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Definition
B1Recreation
(children's game)A game where players create various shapes with a loop of string passed between their hands.
Example
- The kids played cat's cradle for hours, making different patterns with the string.
B2General
(idiomatic)A complicated or confusing situation with many interconnected parts.
Example
- The project turned into a cat's cradle of overlapping responsibilities and deadlines.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "cat's cradle":