Up The Creek without a paddle
Meaning
You’re in deep trouble and unable to do anything about it.
Example
His first parachute wouldn’t open, then the emergency one failed – you might say he was up the creek without a paddle.
Origin
The phrase is a gentrified version of a WWII saying Up shit’s creek without a paddle which summons up a mental picture more graphic than the current refined one… Imagine being in a rowboat at the top of Niagara Falls and you lose an oar!
