up a blind alley

up a blind alley

At an impasse; at a point where no more progress is possible or no solution can be found. I've gone around and around with various ways to fix this, but I'm just up a blind alley at this point. This merger is going to be up a blind alley if we can't resolve this legal dispute.

See also: alley, blind, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*up a blind alley

Fig. at a dead end; on a route that leads nowhere. (*Typically:be ~; go ~.) I have been trying to find out something about my ancestors, but I'm up a blind alley. I can't find anything. The police are up a blind alley in their investigation of the crime.

See also: alley, blind, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

blind alley, (up) a

A dead end, either literally (a street or passage with only one entrance) or figuratively (a situation without hope of progress). The term dates from the sixteenth century.

See also: blind

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer