Creek是溪流，以前这个习惯用语是up the creek without a paddle。 Paddle是桨，可以想象如果有人乘小船逆流而上手头却没有桨，处境该有多难。使用这个习惯用语的人很快就省略了without a paddle，只是说up the creek来表达同样的意思。我们看个例子来体会它的含义吧。这是个小伙子在说他跟女朋友Mary的关系陷于僵局。

I'm sure up the creek with Mary. I took this new girl in the office out to dinner just to get acquainted. And Mary happened to see us. Now she won't even answer my calls. 他带办公室新来的女孩出去吃饭，其实只想彼此熟悉一下，但是让Mary撞见,这可惹出麻烦来了，现在Mary连他的电话都不肯接。

所以他说: I’m sure up the creek with Mary，意思是我和Mary真是处于僵局。Up the creek意思是处于僵局的，或者陷于困境的。

我们再看个例子。这回说话的是个自讨苦吃的大学生。他一心贪玩，学习松懈，成绩直线下降，以致保不住减免学费的奖学金了。我们看看他的尴尬处境

I sure had a good time last semester - I didn't have much time to study. But now I'm up the creek; I certainly don't have the tuition money and I hate to ask dad to pay it. 我上学期玩儿得可真痛快，简直没时间念书了。 但是现在我可进退两难了：我自己当然没钱交学费，而我实在不愿意向爸爸开口要。

这里的up the creek用来描绘进退两难的困境。