Etymology Journal · A
As nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs
Meaning
- Used to describe someone who is extremely anxious or hyper-vigilant. It paints a vivid mental image of someone trying to avoid a disaster in a chaotic environment.
Humorous, descriptive
Used in a sentence
- He was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs before his big speech.
- Standing in the middle of the crowded party, I felt as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
- She is as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs whenever she has to drive in heavy rain.
The backstory
This is a folksy American idiom of uncertain origin. It likely emerged in the rural South where rocking chairs were a staple of every front porch.
Heard in
The South
Vibe check