tear-cat

English

Noun

tear-cat (plural tear-cats)

1. (obsolete, acting) An overactor.
   • 1606, John Day, The Isle of Gulls, in White, Thomas, editor, The Old English Drama^[1], volume 4, published 1830, Induction, page 15:

     Fie upon't, mere fustian; I had rather hear two good bawdy jests then a whole play of such tear-cat thunder-claps.

   • 1611, Thomas Middleton, Thomas Dekker, The Roaring Girl‎^[2], act 5, scene 1:

     I am cal'd by those that have seen my valour, Tear-Cat.

Synonyms

• ham, hambone, hamfatter, overactor

Related terms

• tear a cat

References

• Mackay, Charles (1884) New Light on Some Obscure Words and Phrases in the Works of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries‎^[3], Tear Cat, page 63: “This odd epithet was applied in the seventeenth century to violent and ranting actors who overdid their parts.”

Anagrams

• tea cart, teacart