Example
“The leaked memo forced the minister's hand, prompting an immediate announcement.”
Dictionary details
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
hand in glove
Neutral · CEFR B2
working together in an extremely close and cooperative way
win hands down
Informal · CEFR B2
to win easily, without effort
cap in hand
Neutral · CEFR C1
in a humble or pleading manner when asking someone for help or a favor
sleight of hand
Neutral · CEFR C1
clever and subtle trickery used to mislead people
carrot and stick
Neutral · CEFR B2
a strategy that uses both incentives and penalties to steer behavior
free rein
Neutral · CEFR B2
complete freedom to make choices or act without interference
Source methodology
Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.