walk back the cat
The phrase "walk back the cat" is often used in intelligence and diplomatic contexts to describe the process of retracing steps or changing one's stance.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C2Intelligence
(technical)To retrace events or actions to determine where a mistake was made and who was responsible.
Example
- The agency had to walk back the cat to figure out where the operation failed.
C2Diplomacy
(formal)To back down or adopt a more compromising position.
Example
- The negotiator decided to walk back the cat to reach a more agreeable solution.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "walk back the cat":
walk backcat aroundwhip the catgo backwardsstep backretrace one's stepswalk the dogturn backgo back onpull backroll backrow backstepping backdead catmove backback outback downtake backback awayrun backdraw backcircle backherd catsrear backwalking the dogkeep backfall back