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| Big fish in a small pond | This term is used to refer to an important or highly-ranked person in
a small group or organization. "He could get a job with a big company but he enjoys being a big fish in a small pond." |
| Bring someone to heel |
If you force someone to behave in a disciplined manner, you bring them to heel. "He had always behaved badly, but the new headmaster managed to bring him to heel." |
| Bulldoze
somebody (into doing something) |
A person who is bulldozed into doing something is forced to
do it, especially by being bullied or intimidated. "The immigrants were bulldozed into accepting the work" |
| Call the shots | If
you call the shots, you are in command of the situation and make all the important decisions. (Also : call the tune.) "Ask Julie - she's the one who calls the shots." |
| Call the tune | The
person who calls the tune is the one who decides and is in control of the situation. "He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune." |
| Carry weight | If a person or organization carries weight, they are influential or important. "I'm glad she's on our side - her opinion carries a lot of weight." |
| Too many chiefs, not enough Indians |
This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work. "The business wasn't successful. There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians." |
| The corridors of power |
This term refers to the higher levels of government or administration
where important decisions are made. "The matter is the subject of much discussion in the corridors of power at the present time. " |
Crack the whip |
If you crack the whip, you use your authority to make
someone obey you or work more efficiently, usually by threatening them. "Every so often I've got to crack the whip to make sure we meet the deadline." |
| Dance to someone's tune |
If you dance to someone's tune, you do whatever that person tells
you to do. "He is the company's major shareholder so the management has to dance to his tune." |
| Draw a line in the sand | If you draw a line in the sand, you establish a limit beyond
which a certain situation or activity will not be accepted. "That's it! We're going to draw a line in the sand and make this our final proposal." |
| Force someone's hand | If you force someone's hand, you make them do something
unwillingly or sooner than planned. "The interviewer forced his hand and made him reveal his relocation plans." |
| Friends in high places |
If you know important or influential people in business or government, you have friends in high places. "He wouldn't have succeeded without help from friends in high places." |
| Get/have someone by the
short hairs (also: by the short and curlies) |
If you get or have someone by the short hairs, you put them in a difficult situation from which they cannot escape, so you have complete control over them. "They are in no position to refuse; we've got them by the short hairs!" |
| Get your skates on | If you tell someone to get their skates on, you want them to hurry up. "You'd better get your skates on or you'll be late! " |
| With a heavy hand | Dealing with or treating people with a heavy hand
means acting with discipline and severity, with little or no sensitivity. "He ran the juvenile delinquent centre with a heavy hand." |
| Hold the reins |
The person who holds the reins is someone who is in
complete control of a company, firm or organization. "He's been holding the reins for over 20 years and intends to continue for as long as possible." |
| Iron fist/hand in a velvet glove |
This expression is used to describe someone who, behind an appearance of gentleness, is inflexible and determined. "To impose the necessary reforms, the leader used persuasion followed by force - an iron fist in a velvet glove." |
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Knock (some) sense into somebody |
When you knock sense into somebody, you use strong words
or methods in order to get that person to stop behaving stupidly. "When Jason announced that he was going to drop out of college, his father managed to knock some sense into him." |
| Lay down the law |
Someone who lays down the law tells people very forcefully and firmly what to do. "The volunteers helped in a disorganized way. They needed someone to lay done the law." |
| Led by the nose |
Someone who is led by the nose is dominated or controlled
by a person or group who makes them do exactly what they want. "Jack has always been led by the nose by his mother." |
| Might is right |
This saying expresses the belief that being the most powerful person or country gives you the right to do whatever you want. "There are still many leaders today who believe that might is right." |
| My way or the highway! |
If you say to someone "it's my way or the highway" you are
telling that person that either they accept what you tell them to do or they leave the project. "You don't have much choice when someone says : "It's my way or the highway." |
| Paper tiger |
This term refers to a person, organisation or country that is less powerful or threatening than they appear to be. "He threatens to take strong action but he's just a paper tiger." |
| Pester power |
This expression refers to the power children
exert over their parents by continually nagging or pestering them until they accept to buy advertised toys or fashionable products. "Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more for their children." |
| Power behind the throne |
Someone with no apparent authority who has great influence over
the person officially in charge is said to be the power behind the throne. "It's essential to be on good terms with his wife. Apparently she's the power behind the throne." |
| Pull the plug (on something) |
If you pull the plug on something, you put an end to it or
provide no more support for it. "There were so few enrolments that the school decided to pull the plug on the yoga class. |
| Put one's foot down. |
To put one's foot
down means to exert authority to prevent something from happening. "The child wanted to sleep on the sofa, but his father put his foot down and made him go to bed." |
| Put someone in their place |
If someone causes offence or irritation by speaking or behaving
in an inappropriate manner, you put them in their place by letting them know that they are not as important as they seem to believe. "The new trainee is not in a position to criticize our methods. He needs to be put in his place!" |
| Put the squeeze on someone | If you put the squeeze on somebody, y
ou put pressure on them to force them to act in a particular way. "Bob was reluctant to replace his colleague until the boss put the squeeze on him." |
| Read the riot act |
If you declare with force and authority that something must stop, and announce the consequences if it happens again, you read the riot act. "Dad read us the riot act when we messed up his tool-shed." |
| Rule the roost | If you rule the roost, you
are the most important and powerful person in a group or community. "Officially David runs the company, but it's his father who really rules the roost." |
| Seal of approval |
If a project or contract receives a seal of approval, it
receives formal support or approval from higher authorities. "We can't conclude the deal without the director's seal of approval." |
| Speak softly and carry a big stick |
If you speak softly and carry a big stick, you express your views in
a quiet non-aggressive manner, but you make clear that you are in a position to use force if necessary. "As a leader he recommends the 'speak softly and carry a big stick' method." |
| The tail wagging the dog |
This expression is used to refer to a situation where there is a
reversal of roles, with a small or minor element of something having a controlling influence on the most important element. "If you let your children decide on everything, it will be a case of the tail wagging the dog." |
| Take it upon yourself | If you take something upon yourself,
you do it without asking for permission or agreement. "My colleague took it upon herself to redecorate the office during my absence." |
| Top dog | To say that a person, group or country is top dog means that they are better or more powerful than others. "She's top dog in cosmetics today." |
| Under your thumb |
If someone is under your thumb, they are completely under your
control or influence. "Nobody ever protests. He has the whole group under his thumb." |
| The upper hand. | If a person or
organization gains the upper hand, they take control over something. |
| Wear the trousers | The
partner in a couple who wears the trousers
is the one who makes the important decisions. "The salesman hesitated. It was difficult to see who wore the trousers in the couple." |
| Wipe that smile off your face! | This
expression is often used by parents, or people in authority, to indicate that the situation is not considered amusing at all. "This is a very serious matter, so wipe that smile off your face!" |
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