up to one's neck in alligators

Questions

What does up to one's neck in alligators mean?

Extremely busy; having many pressing obligations, distractions, etc., consuming one's time.

Where does up to one's neck in alligators come from?

An expressive image, derived from the proverb "when you're up to your neck in alligators, it's hard to remember that your initial objective was to drain the swamp".

How to pronounce up to one's neck in alligators

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “up to one's neck in alligators”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “up to one's neck in alligators”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “up to one's neck in alligators” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.