between Scylla and Charybdis
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between Scylla and Charybdis
- /bəˈtwiːn ˈsɪlə ænd kəˈɹɪbdɪs/
- /bəˈtwiːn ˈsɪləɹ ænd kəˈɹɪbdɪs/
Where it comes from
From Homer's Odyssey, where Odysseus and his men had to sail between these two locations (respectively, a rock personified as a monster, and a large whirlpool) en route returning to Ithaca from Troy.
phrase
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Between two dangers or undesired situations.
Grateful also to those who are in fear for me, lest I should either excite hatred, or disguise the truth, I will, by the help of Christ, make such a return for their kindness, as neither to become odious, nor a falsifier. For I will describe, both what has been done well, or otherwise, in such wise,
Similar: between a rock and a hard place, between the hammer and the anvil, between the devil and the deep blue sea, between Scylla and Charybdis, between two fires, damned if one does and damned if one doesn't, doomed if you do, doomed if you don't, in a cleft stick, in bad bread, on the horns of a dilemma
Translations
Every language
prep_phrase idiomatic
| Español | entre la espada y la pared, entre Escila y Caribdis, entre dos fuegos |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 前門の虎、後門の狼 zenmon no tora, kōmon no ōkami |
| 中文 | 進退維谷 /进退维谷 jìntuìwéigǔ |
| Français | de Charybde en Scylla |
| Deutsch | vom Regen in die Traufe, vom Regen in die Traufe kommen, vom Regen in die Traufe geraten, zwischen Skylla und Charybdis sein |
| Italiano | tra l'incudine e il martello, tra Scilla e Cariddi |
| Ελληνικά | μεταξύ Σκύλλας και Χάρυβδης metaxý Skýllas kai Cháryvdis |
| Русский | ме́жду Сци́ллой и Хари́бдой méždu Scílloj i Xaríbdoj |
Talk about this word "between Scylla and Charybdis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/between%20scylla%20and%20charybdis. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026. between Scylla and Charybdis. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/between%20scylla%20and%20charybdis "between Scylla and Charybdis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/between%20scylla%20and%20charybdis.Cite this
@misc{between_scylla_and_charybdis_2026,
title = {between Scylla and Charybdis},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/between%20scylla%20and%20charybdis},
urldate = {2026-11-07}
}
