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Difficulty - Experiencing Difficulties

Discover how English idioms like "through the wringer" and "in a tight corner" relate to experiencing difficulties in English.

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English idioms related to Difficulty
in hot water

in a situation that has unpleasant consequences for one

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Definition & Meaning of \"(in|into) hot water\"
one's back against the wall

in a situation where one has little choice to do what they want or need to

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Definition & Meaning of \"{one's} [back] (against|to) the wall\"
be (way) in over one's head

to get involved with something that is too difficult for one to handle or get out of

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Definition & Meaning of \"[be] (way|) in over {one's} head\"
behind the eight ball

in a situation that involves difficulty, particularly one that is worse compared to that of others

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Definition & Meaning of \"behind the eight ball\"
black hole

a difficult state or condition that is not easy to escape from

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Definition & Meaning of \"black hole\"
the odds are stacked against somebody

used to denote that someone has little chance of success in a given situation

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Definition & Meaning of \"the (odds|cards) [are] stacked against {sb}\"
for the best

used for saying that something is going to be of advantage despite causing difficulty at the moment

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Definition & Meaning of \"for the best\"
in a (pretty) pickle

in a situation that presents a serious problem

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Definition & Meaning of \"in a (pretty|) pickle\"
in a (tight) spot

in a situation that is difficult to deal with

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Definition & Meaning of \"in a (tight|) spot\"
in a tight corner

in a difficult situation, particularly one that is not easy to deal with or get out of

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Definition & Meaning of \"in a tight corner\"
in dire straits

a situation with a lot of difficulties

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Definition & Meaning of \"in dire straits\"
in the grip of something

used for saying that someone or something is affected or taken over by a very difficult or undesirable situation

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Definition & Meaning of \"in the grip of {sth}\"
rabbit hole

a situation marked by complexity, confusion, or strangeness, which is often difficult to escape from

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Definition & Meaning of \"rabbit hole\"
through the wringer

experiencing many difficulties or challenges

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Definition & Meaning of \"through the wringer\"
troubled waters

a situation that is filled with a lot of problems, confusion, or disorganization

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Definition & Meaning of \"troubled waters\"
up a creek (without a paddle)

used to convey that one is in a difficult or challenging situation without a clear solution

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Definition & Meaning of \"up (a|the) creek (without a paddle|)\"
when the chips are down

used for referring to the time at which a situation gets really problematic, serious, or challenging

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Definition & Meaning of \"when the chips [are] down\"
school of hard knocks

tough, real-life experiences and challenges that one faces in life, often resulting in practical knowledge

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Definition & Meaning of \"school of hard knocks\"
in the same boat

in an unpleasant or difficult situation as same as what another person is experiencing

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Definition & Meaning of \"in the same boat\"
sea legs

a person's ability to adjust to a new or unfamiliar situation

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Definition & Meaning of \"sea legs\"
to make a man (out) of somebody

(of a difficult situation) to make a man tougher or more responsible

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Definition & Meaning of \"to [make] a man (out|) of {sb}\"
to fall to pieces

to experience a strong emotional or mental struggle, where someone feels overwhelmed, upset, and unable to handle their emotions

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Definition & Meaning of \"to [fall] to pieces\"
to scratch a living

to have or earn just enough money or resources to meet basic needs and survive

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Definition & Meaning of \"to [scratch|scrape] a living\"
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