quicksand
noun
- colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular material, clay, and water
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.
- 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.”
- Anything that metaphorically pulls one down or buries one; a treacherous, risky danger
“the quicksands of youth”