Caught between a rock and a hard place
Meaning: Stuck between two equally bad options.
Language: English
Literally: Caught between a rock and a hard place
Category: Nature
Origin: From 1900s Arizona mining disputes, where workers faced ruinous rock above and hard poverty below.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Entre le marteau et l'enclume — literally: Between the hammer and the anvil
More idioms — Nature
- Estar en Babia — To be daydreaming and miles away.
- 雪上加霜 (Xuě shàng jiā shuāng) — To make a bad situation even worse.
- आसमान सिर पर उठाना (aasmaan sir par uthaana) — To raise a huge uproar.
- Pixar fora de test — To go off topic or be plainly mistaken.
- A se face luntre și punte — To do absolutely everything to help.
- Pasti s kruške — To be clueless and out of touch.
More English idioms
- To show your true colors — To reveal your real character at last.
- To take with a pinch of salt — To regard a claim with healthy skepticism.
- To let off steam — To release pent-up emotion or stress.
- To face the music — To confront the unpleasant consequences of your actions.
- To add insult to injury — To make a bad situation worse by a further offense.
- To butter someone up — To flatter someone to win their favor.
From our compliments & insults
- Você tem muita garra — You have fierce, relentless determination — you claw your way through any obstacle.
- Ты умница (ty umnitsa) — You're bright, clever, and admirable — said warmly of someone who handles things well.
- У тебя золотые руки (u tebya zolotye ruki) — You're extraordinarily skilled — able to make or fix anything with your hands.