Home UK English up to one's neck in

Meaning of up to one's neck in in English:

up to one's neck in

phrase

informal

  • Seriously or busily involved in.

    • ‘they were up to their necks in debt’
    • ‘Before you know it, you're up to your neck in zombies.’
    • ‘Because they are up to their neck in it, the police and the politicians turn a blind eye.’
    • ‘They were up to their neck in corrupt practice and that was the way that the thing went.’
    • ‘When I returned from the Caribbean I was up to my neck in inspiration…’
    • ‘In addition to which, I am up to my neck in Secretarial work as the conference in Tobago approaches (early November).’
    • ‘I'll try and work on it over the next few days, but I'm up to my neck in work and life at the moment, so free time is at a premium.’
    • ‘He was later appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, while up to his neck in corruption.’
    • ‘EastEnder's entrepreneur is up to his neck in debt.’
    • ‘He would have been up to his neck in discussions with the CIA about the bombing, and would have massive inside knowledge about the case.’
    • ‘But the local villains have other ideas and almost immediately Nicky is up to his neck in criminal activities.’
    • ‘He was up to his neck in all kinds of illegal property deals and back-handers.’
    • ‘There he was a couple of years ago without a penny to his name and up to his neck in trouble.’
    • ‘He's up to his neck in the latest scam.’
    • ‘In your work life, you're up to your neck in Machiavellian intrigue.’
    • ‘Oh, because if you really went to the Caribbean without my consent, you'd be up to your neck in trouble.’
    • ‘We've been up to our neck in trouble since the bombing raid in the city two days ago.’
    • ‘If I hadn't been up to my neck in trouble before, I certainly was now.’
    • ‘What if I have the desire and talent to design clothes but must hold down a desk job because I have four kids and am up to my neck in bills?’
    • ‘However, I failed to keep my vow and, thanks to a nasty spending habit that began in 1995, I was soon up to my neck in debt again.’
    • ‘So it was a very interesting time, and I was right up to my neck in social welfare work.’