无计可施; 走投无路; 一筹莫展，怎么翻译成英语？

cab

但我们用英语来形容“无计可施; 走投无路; 一筹莫展”的时候，肯定会有很多单词和短语可以表示这个令人沮丧的情况。这里再介绍一个地道的英语表达方法。tether是一个让人感觉很形象的单词。tether本来的意思是“拴牲畜用的系绳，拴链”，如果动物或者人处于这根链条的一端， 想想，都有多绝望了。
先看英语解释，如果没看明白，参考后面的双解。

tether
I. \ˈtethə(r)\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English tethir, tedir, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse tjōthr tether, Swedish tjuder; akin to Middle Dutch tuder tether, Old High German zeotar pole of a wagon and perhaps to Old High German zogōn to pull — more at tow
1. : something (as a rope or chain) by which an animal is fastened so that it can range or feed only within the radius allowed
2. : something (as a rope or cable) used in a way suggesting a tether
3. : the limit of one's strength or resources : scope
< poverty-stricken farmer is at his last tether — Leslie Rees >
— used especially in the phrase the end of one's tether
II. transitive verb
(tethered ; tethered ; tethering \-th(ə)riŋ\ ; tethers)
Etymology: Middle English tediren, from tethir, tedir tether
1.
a. : to fasten or restrain (an animal) with a rope or chain
  < tether a cow to graze >
  < grove was full of tethered teams — William Faulkner >
b. : to fasten so as to allow a short radius of movement
  < tether a boat >
  < toddlers, tethered for safety — National Geographic >
  < balloon was tethered by a string to the doorknob — Joseph Mitchell >
  < threads should be firmly tethered at one end — Peggy Tearle >
2. : to limit the effectiveness or activity of : bind
< tether one's plans to one's resources >


tether
teth·er
I
/ˈtɛðɚ/ noun , pl   -ers [  count  ]
  : a rope or chain that is used to tie an animal to a post, wall, etc., so that it will stay in a particular area
  the end of your tether — see end, 1
————————
II
verb , -ers, -ered, -er·ing [  + obj  ]
  : to use a rope or chain to tie (an animal) to something in order to keep it in a particular area
   They tethered the horses in the shade.
   The dog was tethered to the fence.
  — often used figuratively
   She can't stand being tethered to her desk all day. [=having to stay at her desk all day]

tether

teth∙er¹ / ˈtɛðə ; ˈteðə /
◙noun [C]
1. be at the end of your tether,  to be so worried, tired etc that you feel you can no longer deal with a difficult or upsetting situation
• 无计可施; 走投无路; 一筹莫展
2. a rope or chain that an animal is tied to so that it can only move around within a limited area
• 〔拴牲畜用的〕系绳，拴链

tether²
◙verb [T]
1. to tie an animal to a post so that it can only move around within a limited area
• 拴住，系住〔牲畜〕