having only two very unpleasant choices.

Our country is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea — our leaders cause great suffering, but an invasion aimed at overthrowing them would bring many other problems.

Etymology: based on the idea of being trapped between a ship's devil (= a piece of wood or a joint on a wooden ship that is difficult to reach) and the water

• put forward
• put forward something
• put hair on chest
• put hair on your chest
• put hairs on chest
• put hairs on your chest
• put hand in pocket
• put hand in your pocket
• put hand on heart
• put hand on your heart
• put head above the parapet
• put head down
• put head on the block
• put heads together
• put heart and soul into
• put heart and soul into doing something
• put heart and soul into something
• put heart into
• put heart into something
• put house in order
• put ideas into head
• put ideas into someone's head
• put in a good word
• put in a good word for
• put in a good word for someone