Source : WordNet®

snake pit
     n 1: any place of pain and turmoil; "the hell of battle"; "the
          inferno of the engine room"; "when you're alone
          Christmas is the pits"; [syn: {hell}, {hell on earth}, {hellhole},
           {the pits}, {inferno}]
     2: pejorative terms for an insane asylum [syn: {Bedlam}, {booby
        hatch}, {crazy house}, {cuckoo's nest}, {funny farm}, {funny
        house}, {loony bin}, {madhouse}, {nut house}, {nuthouse},
        {sanatorium}]