Help with the meaning of an idiom

[Argasm]

I have troubles understanding the meaning of : “knee deep in the dead”

Context : “A pair of customized, kevlar armored cloth boots, modified to provide maximum protection from harm, even when knee-deep in the dead.”

Could you help me ?

[WMG]

It’s actually a reference to Doom, the FPS game. It’s the name of the first episode in that game.

[darktoes]

“Knee-deep” generally just means you currently have a lot of something, or are overwhelmed with something. You might be knee-deep in work, or bills, or any number of unpleasant things, and it just means that you’ve got more than you’d like.

Similar phrases could be “up to your neck in dead” or “buried in dead”.

In this context it just means surrounded with zombies.

[Argasm]

Thanks a lot !
I suspected something like this but was affraid to make a mistake.

[darktoes]

Always happy to help.

[TheZoneWizard]

Up to my eyes in $h!t

Try this for translating. Means “we are in a very bad situation”.

[Fuscosco]

Yes. Thats close. Another way to see it, though, is about the eyes.

The eyes are high on the body. Being up to them means you are covered in it. So high it even fills your own mouth.

Another, even, is that you use your eyes to see. Up to your eyes in shit means that you can only see shit (or bullshit).

Many words have many such dual-meanings and analogies.