Monday 2 April 2007

Phrase of the Day 57: 'no room to swing a cat'


"There is no room to swing a cat!"


definition: you say this phrase when you are in a awkwardly small, confined space

(Nedá se tam ani hnout.., Není tam k hnutí)

example: "Your bedroom is really small, there is no room to swing a cat in here!!"



origin: The 'cat' referrs to the whip used to punish sailors in the British Navy, called the 'cat o' nine tails'. If a sailor was to be punished with a nine tailed whip in a confined area there would be no room to "swing a cat" and give the punishment.

Note: This is the most common explanation of the origin and is not definite

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