tie oneself in knots
To put oneself in a difficult situation.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't tie yourself in knots over such a small mistake.”
“He started to tie himself in knots trying to explain why he was late for the meeting.”
“By attempting to please everyone at once, she only succeeded in tying herself in knots, leaving her more confused than when she began.”
- 01
adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
To claim the honor of another for oneself.
- 02
apply oneself
Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.
- 03
balloon knot
The anus.
- 04
be oneself
To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.
- 05
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
- 06
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 07
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
- 08
carry oneself
To move, especially emphasizing the manner in which one moves.
Last updated August 10, 2026