bell the cat

From a medieval fable in which mice agree that a bell should be put round a cat's neck so they will always be warned of its arrival, but cannot agree who should undertake the dangerous task.

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

bell the cat (third-person singular simple present bells the cat, present participle belling the cat, simple past and past participle belled the cat)

1. (idiomatic) To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.

• take one for the team
• step into the breach
• fall on a grenade