canary Idiom

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canary

a person who tells the police, a squealer Ken - that canary! He tells the boss who comes in late.

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look like the cat that ate (swallowed) the canary

seem very self-satisified like you have just had some kind of success He looked like the cat that ate the canary when he came in with a smile on his face.

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look like the cat that swallowed the canary

look very self-satisfied, look as if one just had a great success You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?

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Canary in a coal mine

(UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.

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Sing like a canary

If someone sings like a canary, they tell everything they know about a crime or wrongdoing to the police or authorities.

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look like the cat that ate the canary|canary|cat|l

v. phr. To seem very self-satisfied; look as if you had just had a great success. Peter bet on the poorest horse in the race and when it won, he looked like the cat that ate the canary. When she won the prize, she went home looking like the cat that swallowed the canary.

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look like the cat that ate the canary

look like the cat that ate the canary
Also, look like the cat that swallowed the canary. Appear smug and self-satisfied. For example, After she hit her third winning shot, Jeannie looked like the cat that ate the canary. [Second half of 1800s]