П-347

ПОПАДАТЬ/ПОПАСТЬ (ПОПАДАТЬСЯ/ ПОПАСТЬСЯ obs) ВПРОСАК coll VP subj: human fixed WO

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 (1a).

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.