Idiom Breakdown

tie oneself in knots

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Definition

To put oneself in a difficult situation.

To become anxious or upset; to fret.

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"Across the border in the Netherlands, there was further controversy when the new US ambassador, Peter Hoekstra, tied himself in knots by claiming he had never spoken about Muslim no-go zones in Europe, an obsession for the far-right, when he had."
"The two greatest actors of their generation – the two greatest actors of most generations – [Al] Pacino and [Robert] De Niro will spend the rest of eternity being compared. People will tie themselves up in knots over who did the best work, who was the best in The Godfather Part II, who won their first scene together in Heat, who was the least bad in Righteous Kill."

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