up a tree
In a fix
Up a tree describes being in a difficult position with no obvious way out—trapped, cornered, or stuck.
The image comes from prey fleeing up a tree only to find themselves with nowhere else to go: The new regulations left small businesses up a tree.
Often intensified as up a tree without a paddle, mixing metaphors for comic effect.
- trunkMain stem or storage
- branchDivision or woody limb
- out on a limbIn a risky position
- canopyOverhead protective covering
- barkSharp canine vocalization
at wit's end · climb · cornered · backed into a corner · tight spot · in a pickle · vulnerability · stranded · panic · anxiety · bewilderment · desperation · bird's nest · hopelessness · squirrel · up the creek · up in the air · uncertainty
up a treefree and clear
Owning without obligations attached
in the clear · out of the woods · off the hook · home free · sitting pretty
up a treefree as a bird
Entirely without restrictions
unfettered · unencumbered · at liberty · unconstrained · in control
tree, upper, update, upgrade, upbeat, uphold, uptown, uproot, treetop