Home > Terms > English, UK (UE) > Cat o' nine tails
Cat o' nine tails
A short nine-tailed whip kept by the bosun's mate to flog sailors (and soldiers in the Army). When not in use, the cat was kept in a baize bag, hence the term "cat out of the bag". "Not enough room to swing a cat" also derives from this.
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- Part of Speech: noun
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- Industry/Domain: Boat
- Category: General boating
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