brierpatch

/ˈbraɪər ˌpætʃ/
noun
  1. Alternative spelling of 'brier patch' — a dense area of thorny bushes.
    • He got his shirt caught on a brierpatch while hiking.
    • The old brierpatch was home to many small animals.
    • The children knew to stay away from the brierpatch behind the barn.
  2. A difficult or complicated situation (figurative use).
    • She tried to avoid the brierpatch of office politics.
    • Their relationship hit a brierpatch when they disagreed about money.
    • The project became a brierpatch of red tape and delays.
What does "brierpatch" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean