The phrase behind the eight ball means to be in a difficult or disadvantageous situation, where one has little or no chance of success. It comes from the game of pool, where the eight ball is black and numbered eight. In some versions of pool, such as Eight Ball or Kelly Pool, hitting or pocketing the eight ball before other balls can result in a foul or a loss. Therefore, being behind the eight ball means being blocked or obstructed by it, making it hard to hit the target ball. The phrase was first used in American newspapers in the 1920s and became a popular expression for being in trouble or having bad luck. Some synonyms for behind the eight ball are: in hot water, up the creek, out on a limb.
