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to force
one's
hand
/fˈoːɹs wˈʌnz hˈænd/
phrase
to leave someone no choice but to do something they would not do otherwise
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to put the squeeze on
sb
/pˌʊt ðə skwˈiːz ˌɑːn ˌɛsbˈiː/
phrase
to make someone do something by putting them under pressure, especially to get money from them
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to clip
one's
wings
/klˈɪp wˈʌnz wˈɪŋz/
phrase
to reduce or restrain a person's freedom, influence, or authority
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to have
sb
over a barrel
/ɡɛt ˌɛsbˈiː ˌoʊvɚɹ ɐ bˈæɹəl/
phrase
to place someone in a situation in which they have no choice but to accept one's offer or request
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to crack the whip
/kɹˈæk ðə wˈɪp/
phrase
to make use of one's power or authority to force someone to work harder or behave better
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to be boxed into a corner
/biː bˈɑːkst ˌɪntʊ ɐ kˈɔːɹnɚ/
phrase
to be placed in a problematic situation to which there is no favorable solution
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to scrape (the bottom of) the barrel
/skɹˈeɪp ðə bˈɑːɾəm ʌv ðə bˈæɹəl/
phrase
to have no option but to make use of people or things of very poor quality
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one's
hands are tied
/wˈʌnz hˈændz ɑːɹ tˈaɪd/
sentence
used to say that one's freedom in action is limited by a rule or law
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to go through the motions
/ɡˌoʊ θɹuː ðə mˈoʊʃənz/
phrase
to do something without real interest, feeling, or effort
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the call of duty
/ðə kˈɔːl ʌv dˈuːɾi/
phrase
the feeling or belief that one must do or accomplish something
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to make a virtue of necessity
/mˌeɪk ɐ vˈɜːtʃuː ʌv nəsˈɛsɪɾi/
phrase
to get an advantage from doing something that is forced upon one
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one's
way or the highway
/wˈʌnz wˈeɪ ɔːɹ ðə hˈaɪweɪ/
sentence
used to say that someone has two options, either accept what has been said or leave it be
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ball and chain
/bˈɔːl ænd tʃˈeɪn/
phrase
something that limits or takes away one's freedom to do what one wants
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marching orders
/mˈɑːɹtʃɪŋ ˈɔːɹdɚz/
noun
a set of instructions from a person in authority concerning what one must do or how to do it
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no strings attached
/nˈoʊ stɹˈɪŋz ɐtˈætʃt/
sentence
offered or provided without any hidden agendas, requirements, or consequences
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