dig oneself into a hole
Deepen one's trouble
To dig oneself into a hole is to make a bad situation worse through continued action, especially by talking.
Someone caught in a lie who keeps elaborating digs themselves deeper.
The image is of someone in a pit who keeps digging instead of stopping: He tried to explain but just kept digging himself into a hole.
Often shortened to keep digging.
- troubleDifficulty or distress
- cut off one's nose to spite one's faceHarm yourself seeking revenge
- escalateIncrease in severity
- worsenBecome more severe
- exacerbateMake a situation worse
in over one's head · error · mire · rut · conundrum · mess · deepen · go from bad to worse · bind · sinking · stuck in the mud · spin one's wheels · jam · bite off more than one can chew · add fuel to the fire · double down · throw good money after bad · blunder
dig oneself into a holeright the ship
Restore proper function
bounce back · land on one's feet · recover · get one's act together · make a comeback
dig oneself into a holepave the way
Prepare conditions for advancement
make one's own luck · help oneself · play one's cards right · cover one's bases · hedge one's bets
dig oneself into a holesave face
Protect one's reputation
quit while ahead · leave well enough alone · walk it back · make amends