care killed the cat

care killed the cat
Cf. curiosity killed the cat. There is some shift in meaning between care = worry, grief and care = carefulness, caution, and in quot. 1962 the meaning is ‘care lavished on the cat’, rather than care exercised by it.

1598–9 SHAKESPEARE Much Ado about Nothing v. i. 133 Though care kill’d a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care.

1726 SWIFT Poems II. 761 Then, who says care will kill a cat? Rebecca shews they’re out in that.

1890 ‘R. BOLDREWOOD’ Miner’s Right II. xxiii. He was always ready to enjoy himself... ‘Care killed a cat.’

1949 S. SMITH Holiday xii. We must be careful of that. Care killed the cat, said Caz.

1962 A. CHRISTIE Mirror Crack’d xxii. Care killed the cat, they say... You don’t want kindness rubbed into your skin,..do you?

1979 F. SELWYN Sergeant Verity & Blood Royal xx. ‘Pretty sure, Mr. Crowe? I was bloody near ten feet short of it, that’s all!’.. ‘Come on now, Verity. Care might kill a cat! Look to the future!’


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