IdiomAnimals
English
Englishno room to swing a cat
Meaning: A very small or cramped space.
Example: “The studio apartment has no room to swing a cat.”
Origin: The "cat" may be the cat-o'-nine-tails, a whip used on ships, though this is not certain. The phrase is recorded from the 17th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Japanese: 猫の額 (Neko no hitai) Literally: A cat's forehead
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- like chalk and cheese Completely different, though perhaps similar at first glance.
- blush to the roots of one's hair To go very red with embarrassment.
- not see beyond the end of one's nose To have a narrow outlook and ignore anything beyond one's immediate concerns.
- word gets around News and rumors spread quickly from person to person.
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