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Difficulty - Facing Unpleasantness

Explore English idioms that relate to facing unpleasantness with examples like "bat on a sticky wicket" and "in the eye of the storm".

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English idioms related to Difficulty
yoke around {one’s} neck

a heavy and difficult situation or responsibility that someone has to deal with

Ex: The unpaid debt became a yoke around his neck. 
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to [bat|be] on a sticky wicket

to be dealing with a critical or extremely difficult situation

Ex: The minister was on a sticky wicket after the documents leaked. 
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to [be] in for
to be in for
[phrase]

to be expecting something difficult or undesirable to happen

Ex: If the boss finds out, you are in for a hard time. 
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to [batten] down the hatches

to get ready for trouble, difficulty, or danger

Ex: The company battened down the hatches before the recession hit. 
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be a man
be a man
[interjection]

said to man as a way of asking them to behave less emotional, more though, or more responsible in face of difficulties

Ex: His father told him to be a man and face the problem. 
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to [catch] a Tartar

to get into a confrontation with a person or thing that is more powerful than what one assumed

Ex: The bully caught a Tartar when he picked on the new student. 
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dog's life
dog's life
[phrase]

a miserable life filled with difficulties and misfortune

Ex: After the factory closed, many workers were living a dog's life. 
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to [go] through hell

to experience something that is extremely painful or difficult, particularly for a long time

Ex: She went through hell during the years of treatment. 
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in deep water

in trouble or a very difficult situation

Ex: He was in deep water after missing three loan payments. 
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pretty pass

a situation or state that is very undesirable or difficult

Ex: It is a pretty pass when families cannot afford basic food. 
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the weight of the world

a worrisome or difficult responsibility or undertaking that is a burden to one

Ex: Since his father became ill, he has carried the weight of the world. 
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to [put] years on {sb}

(particularly of an event or a difficult situation) to cause a lot of suffering to someone and make them look or feel much older

Ex: The long trial put years on him. 
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to [rear|raise] its (ugly|) head

(of a problem or unpleasant situation) to appear or become noticeable often unexpectedly

Ex: The old problem reared its ugly head during the final stage of the project. 
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high and dry
high and dry
[phrase]

(of a person) placed in a difficult situation with little or no resources or help

Ex: When the funding disappeared, the small charity was left high and dry. 
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in the eye of the storm

used to refer to being in the middle of a chaotic or controversial situation while maintaining a sense of control

Ex: During the scandal, the spokesperson stood in the eye of the storm and answered every question calmly. 
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the party [is] over

used to say that a period of happiness, enjoyment, etc. has come to an end and one's life is going to get back to the state it previously was, if not worse

Ex: After the holiday, the party was over and everyone went back to work. 
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bad hair day
bad hair day
[phrase]

a day that is full of incidents and misfortunes

Ex: I am having a bad hair day; I spilled coffee and missed the bus. 
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face-to-face
face-to-face
[phrase]

in an inevitable confrontation with an unpleasant or difficult situation

Ex: The report brought the company face-to-face with its financial problems. 
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to [go] sour
to go sour
[phrase]

(of situations, moods, or relationships) to become unpleasant or unsuccessful

Ex: The meeting went sour when they started blaming each other. 
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