be tied (up) in knots



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be tied (up) in knots

To be confused, anxious, worried, and/or upset (about something). I've been tied up in knots trying to come up with a good topic for my term paper, but I just can't think of anything! James is tied in knots over how to break up with Daniel, but I think he just needs to bite the bullet and just do it.
See also: knot, tie

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Nikolainee-kah-LIE (Russian)Russian, Bulgarian
MeredithMER-ə-dith (English)Welsh, English
Ipatiy-Russian (Rare)
Ulloriaq-Native American, Greenlandic
MÉLineme-LEENFrench
AmbroseAM-brozEnglish