knee-deep in the Big Muddy
- idiom
- Informal
:
hasta las rodillas en problemas
- After taking on so many risky investments, the company found itself knee-deep in the Big Muddy.
Examples
-
After the scandal, the company found itself knee-deep in the Big Muddy.
-
We are knee-deep in the Big Muddy with this project!
-
By ignoring the warning signs, the team became knee-deep in the Big Muddy before they even noticed the financial losses.
-
He hesitated, realizing they were already knee-deep in the Big Muddy with the failed marketing campaign.
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After ignoring the warning signs, the organization found itself knee-deep in the Big Muddy of legal troubles.
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By taking on too many commitments, she realized she was knee-deep in the Big Muddy and couldn't back out now.
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They became knee-deep in the Big Muddy of negotiations, making it hard to find a way out.
Synonyms
13
3.9
Very involved in something, like work or problems
12
7.4
Too involved in a problem or situation to get out easily
4
6.9
Very involved in a difficult situation that is hard to manage
3
6.3
Unable to move forward because of a physical problem or other difficulty
3
7.6
Very busy with difficult work or problems and almost overwhelmed
3
5.9
A situation that causes serious trouble
3
9.4
In a difficult situation with no easy way out
2
7.9
Being very busy with a lot of difficult work or problems
1
7.9
Very involved in a difficult situation with too much to do
1
9.9
A very bad situation with no way to fix it
1
7.8
In a bad situation that stops progress like being stuck in mud
Having too much work or too many problems to deal with
Deeply involved in a difficult or public dispute
Not able to move forward because of a messy, difficult situation
Antonyms
How Involved
- Informal
- Informal
2
7.9
- Informal
79
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
knee-deep + in + the + big + muddy
The literal parts ('knee-deep' + 'in' + 'big muddy') clearly evoke the image of being physically up to one’s knees in mud, which transparently maps to being deeply involved or stuck in a situation. However, the phrase’s metaphorical extension and the cultural/proper-name feel of 'the Big Muddy' add idiomatic nuance that a B1 learner may not fully predict without exposure, so the meaning is only partially derivable.
Etymology
Knee-deep in the Big Muddy paints a picture of someone standing knee-deep in a wide river of sticky mud called the Big Muddy, so each step makes them more stuck and it is hard to get out. That's why it means being 'deeply involved in a difficult situation that is getting worse'.