www.learn-english-today.com

• business english  •  lessons - exercises  •  vocabulary •  phrasal verbs  •   wordgames  •  proverbs  • fun   •   news •  links-resources •   home  •


English idioms relating to
AUTHORITY - POWER
 


 

  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."
  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."
  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."
  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."
  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."
  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.
  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."
  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.
  Put the squeeze on someone   If you put the squeeze on somebody, you 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."
  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."
  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!"
 


 


more idioms               home


 

copyright © k.beke.  all rights reserved.