hold the wolf by the ears

verb

Roget 704: be difficult etc. adj.; run one hard, go against the grain, try one's patience, put one out; put to one's shifts, put to one's wit's end; go hard with one, try one; pose, perplex etc. (uncertain) 475; bother, nonplus, gravel, bring to a deadlock; be impossible etc. 471; be in the way of etc. (hinder) 706.    meet with difficulties; labor under difficulties; get into difficulties; plunge into difficulties; struggle with difficulties; contend with difficulties; grapple with difficulties; labor under a disadvantage; be in difficulty etc. adj.. fish in troubled waters, buffet the waves, swim against the stream, scud under bare poles.    Have much ado with, have a hard time of it; come to the push, come to the pinch; bear the brunt.    grope in the dark, lose one's way, weave a tangled web, walk among eggs.    get into a scrape etc. n.; bring a hornet's nest about one's ears; be put to one's shifts; flounder, boggle, struggle; not know which way to turn etc. (uncertain) 475; perdre son Latin [Fr.]; stick at, stick in the mud, stick fast; come to a stand, come to a standstill, come to a deadlock; hold the wolf by the ears, hold the tiger by the tail.    render difficult etc. adj.; enmesh, encumber, embarrass, ravel, entangle; put a spoke in the wheel etc. (hinder) 706; lead a pretty dance.    ... show more

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