Cat's-paw

To take the Cat by the foote, and therewith rake the coales out of the Ouen.

These he useth as the Monkey did the Cats paw, to scrape the nuts out of the fire.

Cat's-paw, common in vulgar speech, but not in writing.

Eddie Mars was behind Geiger, protecting him and using him for a cat's-paw.

And for a third thing, Johnson never seemed like he was intent on blowing up NATO because he was a Russian cat’s paw.

Cats-paw, a light air of wind perceived... by the impression made on the surface of the sea, which it sweeps very lightly, and then decays.

No, not a cat’s paw anywhere: Hold up your finger in the air You could n’t feel a breath; For why, in yonder storm that burst, The wind that blew so hard at first Had blown itself to death.

“Now,” said Hands, “look there; there’s a pet bit for to beach a ship in. Fine flat sand, never a cat’s paw, trees all around of it, and flowers a-blowing like a garding on that old ship.”

There was very little wind, though now and again a catspaw hurrying from the south helped them on their way and darkened the smooth small waves.

...when the mate came to shake the catspaw out of the down-haul...