be (caught) in a cleft stick

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• be caught in a cleft stick — ► be (or be caught) in a cleft stick chiefly Brit. be in a situation in which any action one takes will have adverse consequences. Main Entry: ↑cleft …   English terms dictionary

• (be) (caught) in a cleft stick — be (caught) in a cleft ˈstick idiom to be in a difficult situation when any action you take will have bad results Main entry: ↑cleftidiom …   Useful english dictionary

• be (or be caught) in a cleft stick — be in a situation in which any action one takes will have adverse consequences. → cleft …   English new terms dictionary

• in a cleft stick — British & Australian, old fashioned if someone is in a cleft stick, they have a problem which is very difficult to solve. I m in a real cleft stick because I can t sell my house. Because of new employment laws, these companies are caught in a… …   New idioms dictionary

• be in a cleft stick — ► be (or be caught) in a cleft stick chiefly Brit. be in a situation in which any action one takes will have adverse consequences. Main Entry: ↑cleft …   English terms dictionary

• in a cleft stick — If you are in a cleft stick, you are in a difficult situation, caught between choices …   The small dictionary of idiomes

• cleft — past participle of CLEAVE(Cf. ↑cleave). ► ADJECTIVE ▪ split, divided, or partially divided into two. ► NOUN 1) a fissure or split in rock or the ground. 2) an indentation in a person s forehead or chin, or a hollow between two parts of the body.… …   English terms dictionary

• in a cleft stick —    If you are in a cleft stick, you are in a difficult situation, caught between choices.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

• In a cleft stick —   If you are in a cleft stick, you are in a difficult situation, caught between choices …   Dictionary of English idioms

• cleft — cleft1 [kleft] n [: Old English; Origin: geclyft] 1.) a natural crack in something, especially the surface of rocks or the Earth etc 2.) an area on the chin or lip that goes slightly inwards cleft 2 cleft2 adj [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: CLEFT3] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• cleft — cleft1 past participle of cleave1. adjective split, divided, or partially divided into two. Phrases be (or be caught) in a cleft stick be in a situation in which any action one takes will have adverse consequences. cleft2 noun 1》 a fissure or… …   English new terms dictionary