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quicksand

noun

  1. colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular material, clay, and water
L326243 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English quyksande, from Old English cwecesand (“quicksand”), equivalent to quick (“living”) + sand. Cognate with Swedish kvicksand (“quicksand”), Icelandic kviksandur, kviksyndi (“quicksand”). More at quick, sand.

  1. Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.

    My feet were firmly lodged in the quicksand, and the more I struggled the more I sank into it.

  2. Anything that metaphorically pulls one down or buries one; a treacherous, risky danger

    the quicksands of youth