艾里克。帕特里奇先生(Mr. Eric Partridge)认为,这个成语大约从1770年开始就作为贬义词使用。英国《朗曼英国成语词典》等辞书,认为这个成语源自 维多利亚女王时代(1835——1901),英国数学家和童话作家刘易斯。卡洛尔(Lewis Carroll,1832——1898)在他所写的童话《阿丽思漫游奇境记》(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)中详细的描述了公爵夫人家中的一只柴郡猫。《阿丽思漫游奇境记》第6章有段这样的对话:"Please,would you tell me,"said Alice a little limidly……"why your cat grins like that?" "It's a Cheshire cat,"said the Duchess,"and that's why."卡洛尔的童话,通过虚幻离奇的情节,嘲讽了19世纪后半期英国的社会现象。《阿丽思漫游奇境记》在1865年7月问世后,轰动了 全英国。作者由此一举成名。“柴郡猫”的生动想象,是否他所创造,有待于进一步考证,但to grin like a Cheshire cat是随着该书的风行而被广泛使用,应无疑义。根据书中的描述,这个成语常用来表示to grin broadly,showing great amusement; to laugh at nothing that is amusing;to smile widely,in such a way that on shows all one's teeth. eg:Poor little Hans only grinned like a Cheshire cat when he was scolded. Mamma is smiling with all her might.In fact Mr. Newcome says……"that woman grins like a Cheshire cat."Who was the naturalist of the cats in Cheshire?
It is no good smiling at me like a Cheshire cat,Mr.Lubin.
