Stuck in mud, mire, or any sticky substance; trapped in a difficult or complicated situation with no easy way out.
From 'mire' (Old Norse 'mýrr,' swamp), with the past tense '-ed' suffix. The metaphorical use for being stuck in problems dates to the 16th century.
Medieval armies feared marching through mired terrain so much they actually planned campaigns around dry seasons—getting mired in mud could trap entire armies, which is why geography won countless wars.
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