Like a grave digger; up to the a-se in business, and don’t know which way to turn.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Grappling Irons * Gravy-eyedNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes