quicksand

/ˈkwɪkˌsænd/ noun C2

Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts. (countable, uncountable) · 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 (countable, figuratively, uncountable) · the quicksands of youth

Plural quicksands

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