ass in a sling

plural asses in slings · plural asses in a sling · alternative arse in a sling · alternative butt in a sling

1. CanadaUSinformaluncountableusuallyvulgarAn uncomfortable personal state of affairs involving injury, defeat, or other trouble, especially a state of affairs resulting from one's own ill-considered actions.

   I see our asses in a sling if we get caught, that's what I see.

   1977, Smokey and the Bandit (film), screenplay, 10:21 (retrieved 24 July 2015)

   4 more examples

   Dempsey briefed senior HUD officials on federal ethics rules in early 1981, he said, "and most of those who later got their ass in a sling sat there and ignored it."

   1986 April 27, Howard Kurtz, “Reagan's People: Issues of Propriety”, in Washington Post, retrieved 24 Jul 2015

   I think that kind of breathless egotism deserves little more than to limp home with its arse in a sling.

   1995 December 19, Alex Sharkey, “Dear Roger Mear”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 24 Jul 2015

   [T]he bullpen's continued ineffectiveness has to fall on John Mozeliak. . . . If it ends up with Johnny Mo's ass in a sling, so be it.

   2011 June 15, Aaron Schafer, “Cardinals Still Struggling to Spell Relief”, in Riverfront Times, retrieved 24 Jul 2015

   [Frank Sinatra] asked me what I was doing. I said, "The usual. Making pictures. You?" He said, "The usual. Getting my ass in a sling."

   2013 July, Ava Gardner, Peter Evans, “Three Men and a Goddess”, in Vanity Fair, retrieved 24 Jul 2015