in knots

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English

Etymology

Compare knot (difficult situation).

Prepositional phrase

in knots

  1. In a state of disagreement or confusion; at a standstill; in a deadlock.
    • 2023 July 5, Eddy Wax, “Liberals divided over 2024 EU election campaign strategy”, in Politico:
      Centrists are in knots over whether to field one or several candidates to be the faces of their 2024 campaign.
    • 2023 December 15, Carl Hulse, “A ‘Historical and Hysterical’ House Flees After a Tumultuous Year”, in The New York Times:
      The conservative stance made it difficult to advance the legislation, and the appropriations process ended up in knots despite a Republican pledge to consider and pass 12 individual spending bills.