quagmire
UK[ˈkwæɡ.maɪər]US[ˈkwæɡ.maɪər]
n
An area of soft, wet ground that you sink into.
n
A difficult, complicated, or dangerous situation from which it is hard to escape.
Morpheme Breakdown
quag
mire
quag
shake
mire
bog
Etymology
The word 'quagmire' is a compound formed from two distinct elements, both describing treacherous ground. The first part, 'quag', evokes a sense of shaking or quivering, likely imitative of the unstable, trembling motion of boggy earth. The second part, 'mire', is a straightforward term for a swamp or bog, with deep Germanic roots. Combined, they create a vivid image of land that is not merely wet but unsteady and yielding, ready to swallow whatever steps onto it. This literal sense of a physical trap naturally extended metaphorically to describe any complex, entrapping, and inescapable situation.
Analysis
Structure: quag (shake) + mire (bog)
'Quag' is from Middle English 'quabbe', related to Old English 'cwabba' (shake, tremble), of imitative origin. 'Mire' is from Old Norse 'mýrr' (bog, swamp), related to Old English 'mēos' (moss).
Examples
After the heavy rains, the field turned into a deep quagmire.
The country found itself in a political quagmire with no easy solution.
The negotiations became a legal quagmire, delaying the project for years.