Up To One's Ears

Deeply involved in something; oversupplied or overwhelmed with something.

Examples:

  • I'm up to my ears in work.
  • He's in up to his eyes with the in-laws.

Origin: First recorded in 1839; variants with eyes (1778), eyeballs (1911), neck (1856), wazoo (1981)

Synonyms: up to one, , , s eyeballs, up to one, , , s wazoo