попасться впросак

• ПОПАДАТЬ/ПОПАСТЬ <ПОПАДАТЬСЯ/ПОПАСТЬСЯ obs> ВПРОСАК coll

[VP; subj: human; fixed WO]

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⇒ to end up in an uncomfortable, embarrassing, disadvantageous situation because of one's mistake or one's ignorance of sth.:

- X попал впросак{{}}≈ X put his foot in it <in his mouth>;

- X made a gaffe <a blunder>;

- X made a fool of himself.

     ♦ Мне захотелось спросить, зачем Катыку отличаться хоть чем-нибудь от других, но, чтобы не попасть впросак, я промолчала (Каверин 1). I would have liked to ask why Katyk wanted to make himself different from the others in some way, but I kept quiet for fear I should put my foot in it (la).

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← Originally, "попадать в просак". "Просак" was a machine used for making ropes. Workers' clothes often got drawn into it, thus putting them in an awkward, potentially dangerous position.