a sticky situation

a sticky situation

A particularly awkward, embarrassing, precarious, or difficult situation or circumstance. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I found myself in a bit of a sticky situation when the boss saw me kissing his daughter at the movies. I'll be in quite a sticky situation if I arrive at the train station and don't have enough money for the tickets!
See also: situation, sticky
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • sticky
  • on a sticky wicket
  • a sticky wicket
  • in a sticky situation
  • be in a sticky situation
  • be (batting) on a sticky wicket
  • batting on a sticky wicket
  • murky
  • murky waters
  • murky/uncharted waters
References in periodicals archive
A TINY kitten rescued from a sticky situation has found a purrfect new home thanks to a big-hearted policeman.
Joy at last for Sticky; PETS: Abused kitten has a new home
Chinese reghters found themselves in a sticky situation after an accident involving a lorry load of glue.
DID YOU KNOW?
Without a properly mixed antitack additive, rubber production can be a sticky situation. Too little calcium stearate powder, the main ingredient of the antitack liquid additive, and rubber sheets could adhere to each other.
Conductivity sensing ensures rubber product quality
But tree climbing is a temptation that is hard to resist and Marion soon finds herself caught in a sticky situation. But it turns out to be one that clever Mariam can find a solution to.
The Pesky Bird
PUPILS could find themselves in a sticky situation if they are caught chewing gum at a district school.
NO GUM RULE AT SCHOOL; Teachers launch clean-up
Arie Nissenbaum, a geochemist and academic secretary of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel has stumbled into a sticky situation of prehistoric proportions.
Ancient adhesive surfaces in Israeli cave