in a box

in a box

In a bad or high-pressure situation in which one's choice or ability to act is limited. She finds herself in a box now that creditors are coming after her for more money than she makes. Sometimes, the best solutions arise when we are in a box, when we don't have the luxury of examining every option under the sun. Oh, we're in a jam, all right! Just how are we going to explain this to the boss without getting fired?

See also: box

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

in a box

Informal

In a very difficult or restrictive situation.

See also: box

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.