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have the wolf by the ear

To be in a difficult situation - a dangerous situation from which one cannot disengage, but in which one cannot safely remain.

Etymology:

  • Initially attributed to Roman Emperor Tiberius circa year 0 AD, by biographer C. Suetonius Tranquillus
  • US, 1820, by Thomas Jefferson, writing about the institution of slavery and the Missouri compromise:
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Submitted on July 07, 2010

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to have the wolf by the ear

have the last laughhave the time of one's lifehave wordshave to dohave the foggiesthave uphave the run ofhave the biscuithave something to eathave time on one's sidehave truck withhave the time of one's lifehave to do with the price of fishhave to do with the price of tea in chi…

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    "have the wolf by the ear." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/have-the-wolf-by-the-ear_12930>.

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