Between a rock and a hard place

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look up Between a rock and a hard place in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

"Between a rock and a hard place" is a phrase in the English language meaning having to choose between two undesirable choices in certain situations.

[edit] Origins

This is an undated version of an expression dating back to the Ancient Greeks, "between Scylla and Charybdis." The former was a large hydra-like creature living in a rock that endangered seaman in the Straits of Messina, the latter was a potentially fatal whirlpool on the opposite side. Sailors tried to avoid sailing between them. It is speculated that Charybdis is known as "a hard place" partly because it's so hard to pronounce correctly.

[edit] References

"The Bathroom Reader", Copyright (c) 1988, by The Bathroom Readers' Institute.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../b/e/t/Between_a_rock_and_a_hard_place.html"