noun
quicksand
KWIHK-sand
noun
1
Wet, loose sand that looks solid but gives way and traps anything that steps into it, often found near rivers or shorelines.
"The guide warned us to avoid the marked patch of quicksand."
2
Figuratively, a situation that gradually traps or overwhelms someone.
"Their debts turned into a financial quicksand they couldn't escape."
How to Use Quicksand
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLoose wet sand you sink into, or, figuratively, a worsening situation you can't easily get out of.
Common pairings
sink into quicksand
like quicksand
Word Forms
quicksands plural
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Etymology
From Old English cwecesand, literally "living sand" — the same old sense of "quick" meaning "alive" combined with "sand."