quicksand

[kwik-sand]

noun

1. a bed of soft or loose sand saturated with water and having considerable depth, yielding under weight and therefore tending to suck down any object resting on its surface.

quicksand

/ ˈkwɪkˌsænd /

noun

1. a deep mass of loose wet sand that submerges anything on top of it

quicksand

1. A deep bed of loose, smoothly rounded sand grains, saturated with water and forming a soft, shifting mass that yields easily to pressure and tends to engulf objects resting on its surface. Although it is possible for a person to drown while mired in quicksand, the human body is less dense than any quicksand and is thus not drawn or sucked beneath the surface as is sometimes popularly believed.

Other Word Forms

• quicksandy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quicksand¹

First recorded in 1275–1325, quicksand is from the Middle English word qwykkesand. See quick, sand

Example Sentences

Munger believes “this is ultimately political quicksand and a redistricting war at the end of day is a loss to American voters.”

From Los Angeles Times

I had this idea 15 years ago, and the idea that everything was changing and it was quicksand under our feet was a little less prevalent back then.

From Los Angeles Times

For the next eight years, as if submerging into quicksand, I sank deeper into debt.

From Salon

So I know all too well that the hype is built on quicksand — specifically, a seven-decade history of failure.

From Los Angeles Times

Newcastle could, and should, have added more as they simply over-powered a Liverpool team who looked like they were running in quicksand, this loss compounding the midweek Champions League exit against PSG on penalties.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambush 
• bait 
• booby trap 
• device 
• net 
• pitfall 
• ploy 
• quagmire 
• ruse