troubled waters

troubled waters

A situation, circumstance, or experience that is fraught with disorder, difficulty, confusion, stress, etc. No one really thought about the money lenders who were making cash hand over fist during the recession, capitalizing on the troubled waters many homeowners and small businesses found themselves in. Dan's and David's marriage has been in troubled waters for a few years, so their divorce seemed inevitable to a lot of us.
See also: trouble, water
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • fish in troubled waters
  • mix (one) up in (something)
  • mix up in
  • mixe
  • mixed up in
  • mixed up in (something)
  • a stepping stone
  • tie (one) to (something)
  • tie to
  • in a sticky situation
References in classic literature
A rush of troubled waters floods her soul, While black forebodings rise from deeps unknown And the cold trail of fear creeps round her heart.
The Swede is adept at the gentle pastime of fishing in troubled waters.
They remembered, likewise, the good feasts of London the profusion of ale and sherry with which the citizens of London paid their friends the soldiers; -- they looked with terror at the black war bread, at the troubled waters of the Tweed, -- too salt for the glass, not enough so for the pot; and they said to themselves, "Are not the roast meats kept warm for Monk in London?" From that time nothing was heard of but desertion in Lambert's army.
In the troubled waters of conflicting and intersecting intrigues that eddied about the Emperor's headquarters, it was possible to succeed in many ways unthinkable at other times.
I have no alliances, I have no predilections; I will not throw you into persecutions of heretics, nor will I cast you into the troubled waters of family dissension; I will simply say to you: The whole universe is our own; for me the minds of men, for you their bodies.
Half-guineas are poured on the troubled waters, the lawyers creep back, and, if all has gone well, Love joins one man and woman together in Matrimony.
Rita's own spirit hovered over the troubled waters of Legitimity.
The house stood--if anything so old and feeble could be said to stand--on a piece of waste ground, blighted with the unwholesome smoke of factory chimneys, and echoing the clank of iron wheels and rush of troubled water. Its internal accommodations amply fulfilled the promise of the outside.
Light hearts, light hearts, that float so gaily on a smooth stream, that are so sparkling and buoyant in the sunshine--down upon fruit, bloom upon flowers, blush in summer air, life of the winged insect, whose whole existence is a day--how soon ye sink in troubled water! Poor Dolly's heart--a little, gentle, idle, fickle thing; giddy, restless, fluttering; constant to nothing but bright looks, and smiles and laughter--Dolly's heart was breaking.
Water-logged and floating just beneath the surface, it was impossible to sight it in the troubled water in time to escape.
All four boats were now in keen pursuit of that one spot of troubled water and air.
He has another mile or so, to linger out before the dinner-hour; and, when he walks over the bridge and by the river, the woman's words are in the rising wind, in the angry sky, in the troubled water, in the flickering lights.
A wind sprang up and tossed it till the green of its boughs waved like troubled water on which the moon shines faintly.
Kelly is fishing in troubled waters. Prosecutors are looking to interview the singer's associates in connection to a sex trafficking investigation.
I believe there is a way couples can act towards each other that will help their partners stay out of the troubled waters of infidelity.