character
Cheshire Cat
A grinning, riddling figure who appears and disappears at will โ and whose smile lingers after the rest of him is gone.
Origin
Encountered by Alice in Wonderland: a cat that can vanish gradually until only its grin remains. Its riddles ('we're all mad here') and casual disappearances make it the book's least menacing but most uncanny creature. The phrase 'grinning like a Cheshire cat' actually predates Carroll, but he sealed it in.
Modern usage
'A Cheshire-cat grin' is the standard description for a smile that's a little too pleased โ usually because the person knows something you don't.
Tags
smile
riddle
wonderland