Back to the wall meaning
What does the saying 'Back to the wall' mean?
Idiom: Back to the wall
Meaning:
If you have your back to the wall, you are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre.
Country: International English |
Subject Area: Buildings & construction |
Usage Type: Both or All Words Used
All idioms have been editorially reviewed, and submitted idioms may have been edited for correctness and completeness.
« Previous: Back to the salt mines
Next: Back-handed compliment »
Similar Idioms
- Water off a duck's back
- Back burner
- Fed up to the back teeth
- Cast your mind back
- Back to square one
- Back foot
- Talk out of the back of your head
- Behind someone's back
- Off the wall
- Up the wall
- Put or get someone's back up
- Back the wrong horse
- Writing on the wall
- Fall off the back of a lorry
- Fly on the wall
- Straw that broke the camel's back
- Back to the drawing board
- Drive someone up the wall
- By the back door
- Back number
- Like the back of your hand
- Back to back
- Back to the salt mines
- Break the back of the beast
- Get the monkey off your back
- Be on the pig's back
- Talking to a brick wall
- Go to the wall
- On my back
- Watch your back
- Make a rod for your own back
- Take a back seat
- Back-of-the-envelope calculation
- Give the shirt off your back
- Back-handed compliment
- Turn back the clock
- You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
- Get back on the horse that bucked you
- Like nailing jello to the wall
Idiom eBooks from UsingEnglish.com
Download our curated lists of idioms in PDF format - perfect to use offline for reference or for use in class!
If you have a question about idioms, ask us about it in our Idioms Discussion Forum.
If you know of an idiom that you would like to be listed here, please use our online form to suggest an idiom.
See also:
- View examples in Google: Back to the wall
- Idiom Quizzes