Dictionary|Mobile App|Premium
EN
Leaderboard
Learn
Mobile AppPremiumDictionary
Login
pattern

Decision & Control - Obedience

Discover how English idioms like "toe the line" and "come to heel" relate to obedience in English.

Review

Flashcards

Quiz

Start learning
English idioms related to Decision & Control
to [dance] to {one's} tune
to dance to one's tune
[phrase]

to do things as desired or required by someone else

Ex: The staff danced to the manager's tune to secure their bonuses. 
Close
Sign in
to [have] {sb} by the balls
to have somebody by the balls
[phrase]

to have power and influence over someone

Ex: Once she found the emails, she had him by the balls. 
Close
Sign in
like sheep
like sheep
[phrase]

in a way that closely imitates what the others are doing in an unquestioning manner

Ex: They followed the trend like sheep without asking whether it made sense. 
Close
Sign in
{one's} (wish|word) [is] {one's} command
one's wish is one's command
[sentence]

used to demonstrate one's complete obedience

Ex: Just tell me what you need; your wish is my command. 
Close
Sign in
to [have] {sb} (in the palm|eating out) of {one's} hand
to have somebody in the palm of one's hand
[phrase]

to have someone under one's complete domination or control

Ex: The new CEO has the entire board eating out of his hand. 
Close
Sign in
under {one's} thumb
under one's thumb
[phrase]

completely under one's direct control

Ex: He keeps the whole department under his thumb. 
Close
Sign in
to [wrap|twist|wind] {sb} around {one's} (little|) finger
to wrap somebody around one's (little) finger
[phrase]

to manage to convince someone to do whatever one asks of them out of love or respect that they have for one

Ex: With one smile, she had him wrapped around her little finger. 
Close
Sign in
at {one's} beck and call
at one's beck and call
[phrase]

at someone's complete service

Ex: The assistant is at her boss's beck and call. 
Close
Sign in
to [come] to heel
to come to heel
[phrase]

to accept to obey someone

Ex: After months of defiance, the governor finally came to heel. 
Close
Sign in
to [say|give] the word {~noun}
to say the word
[phrase]

to order someone to do something for one

Ex: Give the word and the soldiers will move immediately. 
Close
Sign in
to [bring] {sb} to heel
to bring somebody to heel
[phrase]

to use force to make someone do as one says

Ex: The general brought the troops to heel after the rebellion. 
Close
Sign in
[have] {sb} by the short hairs
have somebody by the short hairs
[phrase]

to have complete control over another individual

Ex: Once they found the missing files, they had him by the short hairs. 
Close
Sign in
to [toe] the line
to toe the line
[phrase]

to unwillingly obey the rules and accept the ideas or principles of a specific group or person

Ex: The new recruits were expected to toe the line without question. 
Close
Sign in
Decision & Control
Under ControlOut of ControlLosing ControlBeing in Charge
Force & ObligationObedienceChoices & DecisionsDecisiveness
IndecisivenessDependency
LanGeek
Download LanGeek app