up a creek without a paddle
In deep trouble
To be up a creek without a paddle is to be in a difficult situation with no obvious way out—stranded and lacking resources to escape.
The image is of someone in a boat, stuck in moving water, unable to navigate or return.
Often shortened to up a creek or intensified as up shit creek: If the funding falls through, we're up a creek without a paddle.
- stuckUnable to move
- strandedLeft without means to leave
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- troubleDifficulty or distress
- in hot waterFacing impending punishment
desperate · helpless · in deep water · lost · screwed · up the creek · doomed · predicament · in a tight spot · jam · pickle · bind · between a rock and a hard place · mess · fix · sinking · floundering · adrift
up a creek without a paddlewell-equipped
Having adequate supplies
armed to the teeth · locked and loaded · tooled up · holding all the cards · battle-ready
up a creek without a paddlesitting pretty
In favorable circumstances
in the driver's seat · in clover · home free · out of the woods · smooth sailing
without, paddle, creeks, paddles, paddled, paddling, paddler, paddlers