up the creek without a paddle
- up the creek without a paddle
• up the creek (without a paddle)
• without a paddle
in trouble
in a bad situation and unable to proceed; in an awkward position with no easy way out.
Charles agreed to finish the report for his study group but then discovered that the books he needed were only available in the library and the library was closed. He was up the creek without a paddle.
high and dry; ((in the lurch)). The expression suggests the situation where one is in a canoe on a small river without the means to navigate. It describes a situation in which one wants or needs to proceed but lacks the means.
high and dry and ((in the lurch)) usually describe situations where one is abandoned or stranded by another person, whereas up the creek without a paddle describes being unable to proceed because of the awkward situation.
Idioms and examples.
2014.
Look at other dictionaries:
up\ the\ creek\ without\ a\ paddle — • up the creek (without a paddle) • without a paddle adj. phr. informal In trouble or difficulty and unable to do anything about it; stuck. Father said that if the car ran out of gas in the middle of the desert, we would be up the creek without a … Словарь американских идиом
up the creek without a paddle — see ↑creek • • • Main Entry: ↑paddle up the creek (without a paddle) see ↑creek • • • Main Entry: ↑up … Useful english dictionary
up the creek without a paddle — up the creek (without a paddle) in an extremely difficult situation. All those people who have money invested in it are going to be up the creek. Etymology: based on the idea of being in a small boat in a stream and not having a paddle (= short… … New idioms dictionary
up the creek (without a paddle) — up the ˈcreek (without a ˈpaddle) idiom (informal) in a difficult or bad situation • I was really up the creek without my car. Main entry: ↑creekidiom … Useful english dictionary
be up the creek (without a paddle) — informal be up shit creek (without a paddle) impolite phrase to be in a difficult situation If we don’t get this contract, we’re up the creek! Thesaurus: to be in, or to get into a difficult situation … Useful english dictionary
be up the creek without a paddle — be up the creek (without a paddle) informal, very informal! to be in a very difficult situation that you are not able to improve. If the car breaks down we re really up the creek. He ll be up shit creek unless he finds the money to pay off his… … New idioms dictionary
up the creek (without a paddle) — Go to p shit creek (without a paddle) … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
up shit creek (without a paddle) — AND up the creek (without a paddle); up a creek mod. in an awkward position with no easy way out. (Usually objectionable.) □ I’m sort of up the creek and don’t know what to do. □ You are up a creek! You got yourself into it, so get yourself out … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
Up the creek without a paddle — in a really bad situation with no way out … Dictionary of Australian slang
up the creek without a paddle — Australian Slang in a really bad situation with no way out … English dialects glossary
