quicksand

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Anything that metaphorically pulls one down or buries one; a treacherous, risky danger

Synonyms

shifting sand

running sand

quagmire

drift sand

quick sand

sludge

snare

trap

🪤

floating sand

heaving sand

soil flow

unfixed sand

mobile sand

wind drift sand

bog

blown sand

marsh

mud

puddle

Translations

Treibsand

drijfzand

sables mouvants

sable mouvant

sabbie mobili

κινούμενη άμμος

areia movediça

arena movediza

βούρκος

arenas movedizas

άμμος

sorres movedisses

λάσπη

σύρτις

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: quyksande

Inherited from Old English: cwecesand

Cognate with Swedish: kvicksand

Cognate with Icelandic: kviksandur

In summary

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.