up shit creek

English

Alternative forms

Prepositional phrase

up shit creek

  1. (vulgar) In trouble; in a difficult situation.

Usage notes

  • The addition of "without a paddle" in alternative forms is considered by some to suggest an intensification of the difficulty of the situation.
  • Australian variant: "up shit creek in a barbed wire canoe with a rusty teaspoon for a paddle". Fairly typical example of applying hyperbole to freshen up a much-used expression.

Synonyms

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