Idiom
not enough room to swing a cat
Meanings
Extremely small and cramped; with very little space to move.
Definition
Used to say a place is extremely small and cramped, with almost no space to move.
“Not enough room to swing a cat” means a room or area is so small that it feels cramped. People use it to complain about limited space for moving, working, or storing things. It is often said humorously or exaggeratingly in everyday British English.
Examples
- This kitchen has not enough room to swing a cat.
- Our hotel room was so small—there was not enough room to swing a cat.
- I can’t work in here; there’s not enough room to swing a cat.
- With all these boxes, there’s not enough room to swing a cat in the hallway.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use this idiom literally or in formal writing, but it is a fixed, informal expression meaning “very cramped.”
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