have nine lives, v. phr.
To keep getting out of trouble, without being harmed. This idiom refers to the saying that "cats have nine lives." The phrase has been used figuratively for people since at least the mid-1500s. From a proverb recorded in 1546: "A woman hath nyne lyues lyke a cat" (old spellings).
• Jerry was late to work eight times this month and he didn't get fired. That man has nine lives!
• Betty's softball team was losing again yesterday, but they came back at the end and won. Her team sure has nine lives.
Learn more number idioms with Number Idioms—Hole in One! Available in print and Kindle e-book editions at Amazon stores worldwide.
(C) 2020, by Targets in English. All rights reserved.
