definitions

back to the wall

Also, back against the wall. In a hard-pressed situation; also, without any way of escape. For example, In the closing few minutes, our team had its back to the wall but continued to fight gallantly, or The bank has him with his back to the wall; he'll have to pay up now. This term was used originally for a military force that is making a last stand. [First half of 1500s]

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RELATED WORDS

forlorn, vain, futile, despondent, sad, downcast, goner, despairing, gone, inconsolable, irremediable, useless, wretched, irrecoverable, irretrievable, no-way, no-win, sunk

Nearby words

back the wrong horse, back to back, back to basics, back to the drawing board, back to the salt mines, back to the wall, back up, back vent, back walkover, back water, back yard
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.