behind the eight-ball

See also: behind the eight ball and behind the eightball

English

Etymology

First use appears c. 1923 in the Buffalo Evening Times. Thought to derive from the game of Kelly pool, in which players assigned balls numerically higher than 8, that is, balls that are behind the 8 ball in order, have little possibility of winning, or from eight-ball pool, where one cannot contact the eight ball on a shot before it is the legal ball, frustrating shots, or more generally, from the fact that the 8 ball is considered harder to aim at because of its color.

Pronunciation

Audio (General Australian): (file)

Prepositional phrase

behind the eight-ball

(idiomatic) In a difficult situation or tight spot; at a disadvantage.
After his last two projects failed, he was really behind the eight-ball.

He was desperate, playing behind the eight-ball.

Usage notes

When modifying a noun, used in predicate position.

Synonyms

(in a difficult situation): snookered