Down the Rabbit Hole

/ˌdaʊn ðə ˈræbɪt houl/

(Pronounced: dowen thə rab-bit howl)

🔊 Hear it on YouGlish

Definition

Meaning: The phrase down the rabbit hole refers to entering a bizarre, confusing, or unexpected situation or experience, often one from which it is difficult to escape.

La signification: L'expression down the rabbit hole signifie entrer dans une situation ou une expérience bizarre, confuse ou inattendue, souvent difficile à quitter.

Note: The idiom originates from Lewis Carroll's novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," where Alice follows a rabbit down a hole and enters a fantastical and unpredictable world.

Word Analysis

In French

• Tomber dans l'inconnu
• S'engager dans une aventure incertaine
• Entrer dans l'absurde
• S'aventurer dans l'inconnaissable

Synonyms

• Get in a fix
• Delve into the unknown
• Enter a strange or bewildering situation
• Become deeply involved in something complex or confusing

Example: "I started researching conspiracy theories and went down a rabbit hole of misinformation."

Example Dialogue

Mpho: "I heard your presentation is today. Are you nervous?"
Tšepo: "A little, but everyone keeps telling me to go down some rabbit hole!" 
Mpho: "No, no! They're telling you to go down the rabbit hole.' It means to dive deep and give it your all!"
Tšepo: "Oh, okay! Thanks, Mpho. I think I'll do just that!"
  

Etymology

Origin: The idiom down the rabbit hole originates from Lewis Carroll's classic novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," where Alice follows a white rabbit into its burrow and a seemingly endless hole, leading her to a fantastical and unpredictable world.

This literary reference has become a metaphor for entering a bizarre, confusing, or unexpected situation, often one that is difficult to navigate or escape.

Audience

The idiom down the rabbit hole has broad appeal, transcending age and cultural boundaries. It's used in various contexts, from casual conversations to academic discussions.

When to use: This idiom is suitable for describing any situation that involves unexpected twists and turns, sudden shifts in direction, or a confusing and disorienting experience. It can be used metaphorically to describe anything from getting lost in a maze of information online to embarking on a challenging and unpredictable journey.

Dictionary Meaning

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the idiom "down the rabbit hole" means 'a complicated or difficult situation, especially one that is difficult to get out of.' The dictionary provides the following examples of use: 'She once went down that political rabbit hole,' and 'Their advice is not meant to send you down a rabbit hole, and involve you in chaos and disorder.'

But the meaning of our expression isn't all that bad, because The Cambridge Dictioanry also says it means: 'a situation in which you become so interested in a subject or an activity that you cannot stop trying to find out about it or doing it!'

News Snippet

"Once again, South Africa, we find ourselves in that all too familiar, precarious limbo. Like Alice, we have gone down the rabbit hole towards surreal astonishment - but because the nowhere-world we have landed in with a thump is not entirely new to us, the chaos and mayhem almost seems normal."
[The Daily Maverick]

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Extra! Extra!

For a fun and engaging exploration of our word of the day, the idiomatic phrase down the rabbit hole, watch the following videos.

WordReference

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Common Idioms and Expressions

Dig yourself a hole: Get oneself into a tough, undesirable, or disadvantageous position.
In the hole: Lacking enough resources or money, therefore indebted.
Make a hole in the water: Commit suicide by drowning.
Pull a rabbit out of a hat: Do something surprising and seemingly impossible.
Let the dog see the rabbit: Remove unnecessary obstructions, impediments and encumbrances

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