Crikey

[artisan]

Why do we still use phrases like "Stone the crows"?

[incitatus]

because the more satisfying phrases are forbidden by convention (or the answerbank's puritanical approach to swearing) and you have to show surprise somehow.

[artisan]

I was thinking more of the bird protection issues of the phrase.

[larabell]

Do you think people actually take it as a command? If that's true I am concerned that uninformed people who hear about "room to swing a cat in" will not realise this refers to cat-o-nine-tails and actually harm a few helpless puddy tats in order to estimate room sizes for housing surveys, describe holiday rentals, etc.