# not enough room to swing a cat

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Very little space (available) (of a very small room).

## Etymology
Attested 1665, by which point already in common use; perhaps of naval slang origin.
While it is frequently stated that the phrase is derived from cat-o’-nine-tails (“type of whip”), this latter term is only attested from 1695, and hence this idiom presumably derived from literally swinging a cat around, as by the tail.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/not-enough-room-to-swing-a-cat