rabbit hole

Definitions

1. A bizarre world, where everyday rules do not apply.
   figuratively, usually
2. A way into such a world.
   figuratively, usually
3. A time-consuming tangent or detour, often one from which it is difficult to extricate oneself.
   broadly, figuratively
4. The initial clue that leads to an alternate reality game.
   figuratively
5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rabbit, hole. The entrance to a rabbit warren or burrow; the whole warren or burrow.

Equivalents

6 more languages

Ελληνικάκουνελότρυπα

Suomikaninkolo

Gaeilgepoll coinicéirsúil choinicéir

Magyarbonyodalomkacskaringórejtelmekszövevény+ 1 more

Nederlandskonijnenhol

Svenskadistraktionkaninhålkaninhålautsvävning+ 1 more

Examples

“These mushrooms will take⟳ you down the rabbit hole, man.”

“You take⟳ the blue pill, the story ends, you wake⟳ up in your bed and believe⟳ whatever you want⟳ to believe⟳. You take⟳ the red pill, you stay⟳ in Wonderland, and I show⟳ you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

“Tumbling down the rabbit hole, she encountered a whole new level of existence where the laws of physics were turned upside down, shaken inside out and taken to the cleaners.”

“Near-synonym: rabbit trail (regiolectic)”

“I'm also a fan of a really obscure book series, but that's a rabbit hole that we won't get⟳ into.”

“While writing my paper, my research⟳ went down several rabbit holes that were only marginally related and wasted a lot of my time.”

“My point⟳ is not to go down the rabbit hole of deconstructing the term documentary, […]”

“I felt pretty strongly that non-food supplements would be a complicated, expensive rabbit hole that rarely cure children fully of anxiety / autism / etc. (especially in the absence of enough nourishing food).”

“The rabbit-hole went straight on like⟳ a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think⟳ about stopping herself before she found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.”

“As the limber gunners went to the rear, his horse trod in a rabbit-hole and came down, throwing him into a depression of the ground.”

“There are two platforms (that on the down side is a island) but they are weed-grown, with many rabbit-holes, and there is no cover⟳ of any kind.”

CEFR level