snake pit

or snakepit

noun

, Informal.

1. a mental hospital marked by squalor and inhumane or indifferent care for the patients.
2. an intensely chaotic or disagreeable place or situation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of snake pit¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Kim Jong Un, a hamster in the snake pit of the regime, has just created a new adversary.

From The Daily Beast

He cut three red strips from his back, and cast him into the snake-pit.

From Project Gutenberg