Possible Clues:

• 'Up the creek,' e.g.
• Bite the bullet, e.g
• "Burn the midnight oil," for one
• Dialect, vernacular
• I had isolated part of the UK, in a manner of speaking
• Language form
• Cash in one's chips or pay the ultimate price, e.g
• Dialect or vernacular
• Hit the road, say
• 'In the red,' for one