Phrase guide

between the hammer and the anvil

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

With the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: between a rock and a hard place, between Scylla and Charybdis, between the devil and the deep blue sea, between the hammer and the anvil, between two fires, damned if one does and damned if one doesn't, doomed if you do, doomed if you don't, in a cleft stick, in bad bread, on the horns of a dilemma

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Referring to the metal on a blacksmith's anvil, which is beaten with a hammer.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: بَيْنَ ٱلْمِطْرَقَةِ وَٱلسِّنْدَانِ (bayna l-miṭraqati was-sindāni) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Azerbaijani: çəkiclə zindan arasında — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Azerbaijani: yuxarı tüpürürsən bığ; aşağı tüpürürsən saqqal — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Bulgarian: между чука и наковалнята (meždu čuka i nakovalnjata) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Finnish: puun ja kuoren välissä — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • French: entre le marteau et l'enclume — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • French: la peste ou le choléra — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • German: zwischen Hammer und Amboss — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Greek: μεταξύ σφύρας και άκμονος (metaxý sfýras kai ákmonos) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Hebrew: בֵּין הַפַּטִּישׁ וְהַסַּדָּן (bein hapatísh vehasadán) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Italian: tra l'incudine e il martello — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Polish: między młotem a kowadłem — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Romanian: prins între ciocan și nicovală — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Russian: между молотом и наковальней (meždu molotom i nakovalʹnej) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Swedish: mellan hammaren och städet — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options
  • Yiddish: צווישן האַמער און קאָוואַדלע (tsvishn hamer un kovadle) — with the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options