up to ears

up to (one's) ears in (something)

1. Having an excessive or overwhelming amount of something. We're still unpacking our new house, so we're just up to our ears in boxes. If any of my guys get hurt at the construction site, I'll be up to my ears in paperwork.

2. Extremely busy with something; deeply or overly involved in something. There's no way I can take a vacation right now, I'm up to my ears in work at the moment! I only meant to be have a consulting role, but before I knew it I was in up to my ears in David's new business venture!

See also: ear, to, up

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

up to one's ears

(in something) Go to up to one's neck (in something).

See also: ear, to, up

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

up to (one's) ears

Deeply involved or occupied fully: I'm up to my ears in work.

See also: ear, to, up

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.