Scylla

American  

[sil-uh] / ˈsɪl ə /

noun

1. Modern Name Scilla.  a rock in the Strait of Messina off the S coast of Italy.

2. Classical Mythology. a sea nymph who was transformed into a sea monster: later identified with the rock Scylla.

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idioms

1. between Scylla and Charybdis, between two equally perilous alternatives, neither of which can be passed without encountering and probably falling victim to the other.

Scylla British  

/ ˈsɪlə /

noun

1. Greek myth a sea nymph transformed into a sea monster believed to drown sailors navigating the Strait of Messina. She was identified with a rock off the Italian coast Compare Charybdis

2. in a predicament in which avoidance of either of two dangers means exposure to the other

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Scylla More Idioms  

1. see between a rock and a hard place (Scylla and Charybdis).

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Example Sentences

For many long minutes, those covering the show in real time were trapped between the Scylla and Charybdis of congratulatory awe and potentially backlash-provoking faux pas.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2023

I don’t expect you to say “between Scylla and Charybdis” but could you please say “between a rock and a whirlpool” instead?

From Seattle Times • May 1, 2022

In other words, the middle path, the tightrope walk, the threading of Scylla and Charybdis.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2022

Investors seeking to steer clear of the twin hazards of rising inflation and falling bond prices might feel as if they’re being asked to navigate between the mythological sea creatures Scylla and Charybdis.

From New York Times • Oct. 8, 2021

So he seemed to the lovely nymph Scylla when she was bathing in a little bay and caught sight of him rising from the sea.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton