Phrases & SayingsPeople and character
as cunning as a dunny rat
Also: cunning as a shithouse rat
Extremely cunning or crafty.
In a sentence
She was as cunning as a dunny rat and spotted the trap immediately.
Where it came from
Australian sources document the expression in local use. Its precise history and changing context are not fully established.
- Initial era
- 2000–today
- Where used
- Australia-wide