back to the wall

back to the wall
or[back against the wall] {adv. phr.} In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. * /The soldiers had their backs to the wall./ * /He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall./ * /The team had their backs to the wall in the second half./ Compare: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, LAST DITCH, ON THE SPOT, UP AGAINST IT.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • back\ against\ the\ wall — • back to the wall • back against the wall adv. phr. In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. The soldiers had their backs to the wall. He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall. The team had their backs to …   Словарь американских идиом

  • back\ to\ the\ wall — • back to the wall • back against the wall adv. phr. In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. The soldiers had their backs to the wall. He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall. The team had their backs to …   Словарь американских идиом

  • back to the wall — If you have your back to the wall, you are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • Back Against the Wall — Infobox Album Name = Back Against The Wall Type = tribute Artist = Billy Sherwood Released = 2005 Recorded = Genre = Progressive rock Length = Label = Producer = Reviews = Last album = This album = Next album = Back Against The Wall is an album… …   Wikipedia

  • back to the wall — or[back against the wall] {adv. phr.} In a trap, with no way to escape; in bad trouble. * /The soldiers had their backs to the wall./ * /He was in debt and could not get any help; his back was against the wall./ * /The team had their backs to the …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • back to the wall —    If you have your back to the wall, you are in serious difficulty.     With his back to the wall, the supplier had to accept the deal …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • back against the wall —  No place to go; a difficult situation.  ► “Its [GM’s] global sourcing strategy to buy low cost, quality components from anywhere in the world alone puts the union’s back against the wall.” (Ward’s Auto World, May 1995, p. 14) …   American business jargon

  • back to the wall — noun A situation with no other options remaining. From this place so he told himself had emanated that policy of extortion, oppression and injustice that little by little had shouldered the ranchers from their rights, till, their backs to the… …   Wiktionary

  • with your back against the wall — with (your/its) back against the wall in a serious situation with few ways to react to it. Many of these schools find themselves with their backs against the wall, and unless they get more funding, they ll have to fire some teachers. Usage notes …   New idioms dictionary

  • with its back against the wall — with (your/its) back against the wall in a serious situation with few ways to react to it. Many of these schools find themselves with their backs against the wall, and unless they get more funding, they ll have to fire some teachers. Usage notes …   New idioms dictionary

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