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• Queer Street
  Queer Street

  noun

  a condition of financial instability or embarrassment.
• queer street
  queer street

  noun

  (sometimes capitals) a difficult situation, such as debt or bankruptcy (in the phrase in queer street )

Queer Street

American  

noun

1. a condition of financial instability or embarrassment.

   Such extravagance will surely put them in Queer Street.

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queer street British  

noun

1. informal (sometimes capitals) a difficult situation, such as debt or bankruptcy (in the phrase in queer street )

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Etymology

Origin of Queer Street

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

He was dumped on the seat of his pants, got up in Queer Street and hung on.

From The Guardian • Jul. 16, 2012

No, sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask.”

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 5 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis

We have only three days' food with us and shall be in Queer Street if we miss the depot.

From South with Scott by Mountevans, Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell Evans, baron

She has simply sold herself to the highest bidder to get the poor old pater out of Queer Street.

From Rosa Mundi and Other Stories by Dell, Ethel M. (Ethel May)

Francis Quodling has long been in Queer Street; he seemed to think that he had a claim—a natural claim, I might say—on Lord Polperro.

From The Town Traveller by Gissing, George