up to (one's) ears in (something)
(redirected from up to their 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!
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).
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
up to one's ears
Also, in up to one's eyes or eyeballs or neck . Deeply involved; also, oversupplied, surfeited. For example, I'm up to my ears in work, or He's in up to his eyes with the in-laws. This hyperbolic and slangy idiom implies one is flooded with something up to those organs. The first was first recorded in 1839; up to the eyes in 1778; to the eyeballs in 1911; to the neck in 1856.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
up to your ears in
very busy with or deeply involved in. informalFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
up to one’s ears
verbMcGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
up to (one's) ears
Deeply involved or occupied fully: I'm up to my ears in work.
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.