a pretty pass

a pretty pass

A particularly difficult, troublesome, or bad state or situation. (Used especially in the phrase "come to/reach a pretty pass.") Now don't spread this around, but I hear things have come to a pretty pass between Mark and his wife. Negotiations between management and the striking employees reached a pretty pass when the labor union rejected the company's latest deal.
See also: pass, pretty
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • come to such a pass
  • come to a pretty pass
  • get out of a jam
  • twist in the wind
  • twist in the wind, be left to
  • twist slowly in the wind
  • get out of a mess
  • get out of a/this/that mess
  • get (someone) out of a fix
  • get out of a fix