Meaning of ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’
The phrase ‘between a rock and a hard place’ means being faced with two difficult options, with no easy way out. Basically, it’s like being in a dilemma and the only two decisions you have are undesirable.
Example: She found herself between a rock and a hard place due to a large dent in her vehicle, having to choose between spending her limited money on repairs or driving with the unsightly dent.
Similar Phrases: a tough spot, in a jam, in a pickle, in hot water
Related Idioms:
Want to find other famous phrases like this one? Check out our Idioms and Phrases Starting With B page for a list of them.
Origin of ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’
It’s believed that the idiom ‘between a rock and a hard place’ originated in the United States. According to The Phrase Finder, the earliest known citation of this expression comes from the year 1921, in the Dialect Notes V where it reads:
“To be between a rock and a hard place . . . To be bankrupt. Common in Arizona in recent panics; sporadic in California.”
Based on this quote, the expression seems to have specifically meant ‘being bankrupt’ at that time. This is different than its meaning today, which is ‘being in a dilemma.’
So when did this phrase start to be used with its modern meaning? The earliest I could find it in print with such a definition is from The Advertiser newspaper, 1930, where it reads:
“After that we were between a rock and a hard place. There was a lot of unpleasantness with Mr. Romanes, but by and by we see’d we couldn’t do nothing by fighting each other, so we shared out the grub, and took what we each thought was the best road off . . . mantelpiece.”
Example Sentences
Let’s look at some usage cases for the phrase ‘between a rock and a hard place.’
Example Sentences:
1. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place because he can’t decide if he should eat the leftover spaghetti or the pizza he ordered last night.
2. They were caught between a rock and a hard place after their rakes broke and they still had a large yard full of leaves to clean up.
Examples That Use Similar Phrases:
1. With her friends showing up any minute and the food being overcooked, she’s really in a pickle.
2. They left food sitting on the floor last night and now they’re in a pickle because ants are crawling all over it!
3. My car broke down and I’m expected to be at an important meeting soon, so I’m in hot water.