[grin] like a Cheshire cat
1
to smile very widely
The idiom "grin like a Cheshire cat" originates from Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." In the story, Alice encounters a grinning, disembodied cat with a distinctive smile. The Cheshire Cat's grin remains even after its body disappears, leaving only its grin behind. The phrase has since become a metaphor to describe someone's smile, particularly when it is very wide, distinctive, and often carries a sense of mischief, inscrutability, or amusement.
- Charles was sitting in his place, grinning like a Cheshire cat, when I joined him.
- When Sarah received the surprise gift, she couldn't help but grin like a Cheshire cat, her face beaming with delight.
- As he revealed his well-kept secret, John's face lit up with excitement, and he grinned like a Cheshire cat.
- The mischievous child grinned like a Cheshire cat after playing a prank on his siblings.
- During the magical performance, the magician's assistant grinned like a Cheshire cat, adding to the mystique of the show.