Phrases.com »

Phrases related to: up to one's neck in alligators

Yee yee! We've found 3,951 phrases and idioms matching up to one's neck in alligators.

Sort:RelevancyA - Z
drain the swamp when up to one's neck in alligators(idiomatic) When performing a long and complex task, and when you've gotten utterly immersed in secondary and tertiary unexpected tangential subtasks, it's easy to lose sight of the initial objective. This sort of distraction can be particularly problematic if the all-consuming subtask or sub-subtask is not, after all, particularly vital to the original, primary goal, but ends up sucking up time and resources (out of all proportion to its actual importance) only because it seems so urgent.Rate it:

(3.00 / 2 votes)
forget, when up to one's neck in alligators, that the mission is to drain the swampTo lose sight of one's initial objective, becoming caught up in subtasks or in tasks only tangentially/orthogonally related to the initial objective.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
up to one's neck in alligatorsExtremely busy; having many pressing obligations, distractions, etc consuming one's time.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
when you're up to your ass in alligators, it's easy to forget your goal was to drain the swampYou can't complete the a task if more urgent/immediate necessities take priorityRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
when you're hot, you're hot. when you're not, you're notYou're either hot or you're not. There's no in between.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
neck and neckVery close in progress, as in a race or contest.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
forgetting the base, forgetting the root, forgetting number 'one, forgetting the alphabet 'a' 1'Generally this era, when children learn and grow up as adults, they think the parents know nothing they are the entire encyclopedia. Disdaining parents education and their university degrees with disrespectful manner.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
wear one's heart on one's sleeveTo be extremely transparent, open, or forthright about one's emotion or what is in one's heart; often when this is said, it is said when it is more than the listener wants or needs to hear about it--so it is often said in a negative way or with a negative connotationRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
can't put the words back into one's mouth fast enoughThis phrase is often said after someone said something they shouldn't have said as a way of conveying regret for having said it.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
albatross round one's neckAlternative form of albatross around one's neck.Rate it:

(2.00 / 1 vote)
albatross around one's neckSomething that one is associated with that keeps one from succeeding in what they want to achieve.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
stick one's neck outGamble or venture when odds for success are slim! Step-up, speak up, while still a novitiate, inexperienced and possessing no 'savvy' in a particular venture.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
stick one's neck outTo take a risk, putting oneself in a vulnerable position.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
pickin' and grinnin'a country way of saying "playing music"Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
i'll be a monkey's uncle(often preceded by well) expressing complete surprise or disbeliefRate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
as she's as cold as a witchscold as a witch's tit!Very, very cold!!Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
don't count your chickens before they're hatchedYou should not count on something before it happens.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
if it ain't chicken, it's feathersthat's life; there are always problemsRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
if you can't take it, don't dish it outdon't say or do something you wouldn't want said or done to youRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
puddin' tame. ask me again and i'll tell you the same.An impertinent response to being asked "what is your name?"; a response indicating that the speaker does not want to reveal their real name.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
where there's smoke, there's firewhen two things are usually together and you find one, you will find the otherRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
you ain't seen nothin' yetsomething is even betterRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
brass neckGall, shamelessness, cheek.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
pencil-neckAn insubstantial person; a weakling.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
breathe down someone's neckTo follow someone too closely, making it uncomfortable for them.Rate it:

(4.50 / 2 votes)
pain in the neckIrritating personRate it:

(4.00 / 1 vote)
pain in the neckSomeone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.Rate it:

(3.00 / 1 vote)
Albatross Around Your NeckA person or a thing you feel like a burden and you always want to avoid and get rid of, something bad you did and want to avoid discussing or someone else recall it againRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
brass neckA person with gall.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
brass-neckTo behave boldly or shamelessly.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
fall on someone's neckTo embrace someone affectionately or thankfully.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
he has become a millstone around my neckA millstone means a burdenRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
neck downTo alter by forcing it into a smaller calibre and size.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
neck of the woodsA certain part of the city, neighborhood, area, or country.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
neck of the woodsA local neighbourhood or region.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
neck upto increase the size of a cartridge's chamber and calibre.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
pencil-neckA person with a very thin neck.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
Stick Your Neck OutTo willfully take up or invite criticism, to be bold enough to take risk or dangerRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bring (one's) a-gamerefers to bringing maximum effort, focus and undeniable commitment; an encouragement to do your best with no excuses; giving it your allRate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
bee in one's bonnetan idea, which is thought to be crazy or exciting; someone’s particular interest, concern or obsession with somethingRate it:

(3.00 / 1 vote)
bug in one's bonnetSomething that makes someone act crazy or excites them or is of particular interest or concern to them; something that bothers or irritates someone; a lesser known version of the expression “bee in one’s bonnet”Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
hold one's waternot have to pee; try not to urinateRate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
back on one's heelsIn a state of unease, surprise, or bewilderment, especially such that one's functioning or performance is detracted upon; Forced into a position of disadvantage, retreat, or poor performanceRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bee in one's bonnetSomething that makes someone act crazy or excites them or is of particular interest or concern to them; something that bothers or irritates someone; a lesser known version of this expression is “bug in one’s bonnet”Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
coming out of one's earshaving too much or too many of something; being overloaded or overwhelmedRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
cut one's lossesTo abandon an unproductive pursuit or leave a failing situation before it gets worseRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
fly by the seat of one's pantsConfronting a situation with intuition and common sense without experience or instructionRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
go into one's shellTo hide or retreat; to act defensivelyRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
have eyes bigger than one's bellyTo take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedyRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
hide in one's shameTo cower or shrink away reproachfullyRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)

We need you!

Help us build the largest human-edited phrases collection on the web!

Alternative searches for up to one's neck in alligators:

Quiz

Are you a phrases master?

»
When in _____...
A London
B Rome
C New York
D Paris

Browse Phrases.com

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ