in a helpless or trapped position I think that we have them over a barrel and should be able to win the contract easily.
get sb over a barrel
Idiom(s): get someone over a barrel AND get someone under one's thumb
Theme: DOMINATION
for someone to be put at the mercy of someone; to get control over someone. • He got me over a barrel, and I had to do what he said. • Ann will do exactly what I say. I've got her over a barrel. • All right, John. You've got me under your thumb. What do you want me to do?
over a barrel|barrel|over|over the barrel
adv. phr., informal In the power of your enemies; not able to do anything about what happens to you; in a helpless condition; trapped. Bill had Tom over a barrel because Tom owed him money.Ralph has me over a barrel; I need five dollars, and he won't lend it to me unless I let him use my bicycle. Compare: ON THE ROPES.
over a barrel
In a position of vulnerability, weakness, or powerlessness. He's had me over a butt anytime aback he begin out about my affair.Once the affair got majorities in both houses, they've had the action over a barrel.Learn more: barrel, over
*over a barrel
Fig. out of one's control; in a dilemma. (*Typically: get addition ~; accept addition ~; put addition ~.) He got me over a barrel, and I had to do what he said.Ann will do absolutely what I say. I've got her over a barrel.Learn more: barrel, over
over a barrel
In a anemic or difficult position, as in Once the competitors begin a blemish in our product, they had us over a barrel. This slangy expression, aboriginal recorded in 1938, allegedly alludes to animating a drowning victim by agreement the anatomy arch down over a butt and rolling it aback and forth, so as to abandoned the lungs of water. The announcement survives, although appropriately the convenance does not. Learn more: barrel, over
(get/have somebody) over a ˈbarrel
(informal) (put/have somebody) in a position area they are affected to do what you want: She has us over a butt — if we don’t pay her, we’ll lose everything. This may accredit to a being who has been adored from drowning and is captivated over a butt (= a ample annular container) in adjustment to abandoned their lungs of water.Learn more: barrel, over
over a barrel
In a actual awkward position from which extrication is difficult: During the negotiations the opposing band had us over a barrel.Learn more: barrel, over
over a barrel
In a anemic position; helpless, in someone’s power. This appellation allegedly was acquired from the convenance of animating drowning victims by accession them headfirst over a butt and rolling it aback and forth, thereby attempting to abandoned the lungs of water. Appropriately this convenance has been replaced by bigger methods of resuscitation, but the abandoned position of the victim has survived in the accepted cliché. Raymond Chandler gave it a bifold acceptation in The Big Sleep (1939): “We accumulate a book on anonymous bullets nowadays. Some day you ability use that gun again. Then you’d be over a barrel.”Learn more: barrel, overLearn more:
An over a barrel idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with over a barrel, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
Dizionario di parole simili, diverso tenore, sinonimi, di invocazione per Idioma over a barrel