出典:Wiktionary
出典:『Wiktionary』 (2012/04/03 16:04 UTC 版)
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,[1] this latter term is only attested from 1695, and hence this idiom presumably derived from literally swinging a cat around, as by the tail.[2]
not enough room to swing a cat (uncountable)