bed of nails

American  

noun

1. a situation of extreme hardship or suffering.

   Taking care of her sick brother all these years has been a bed of nails for her.

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Etymology

Origin of bed of nails

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Most intriguing are the lines scored down the length of the strip, possibly by a rake or even a bed of nails.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2024

Formed of 20 metal posts wrapped in upholstered foam cylinders, it functions loosely like a soft-touch bed of nails.

From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2024

It is merely a sleight of hand and a twist of fate, and we're all resting on Bono's bed of nails while we wait for the other shoe to drop.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2022

Also popular is the bed of nails, a long-running experience at the center that has remained on view.

From Washington Post • Mar. 30, 2022

Mrs. Das listened attentively, stroking her hair with a small plastic brush that resembled an oval bed of nails, asking more questions, for yet another example.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri