Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
to-have-by-the-short-and-curlies
idiom
/tə ‘hæv baɪ ðə ʃɔrt ənd ‘kɜrliz/
Definition
To have complete control over someone; to have someone in a vulnerable or submissive position.
Examples
- When she revealed his secret, she had him by the short and curlies.
- He knew he had his boss by the short and curlies after threatening to expose that mistake.
- In negotiations, having leverage often means to have the other party by the short and curlies.
Meaning
This phrase describes a situation where an individual has power or leverage over another, often due to the latter’s weaknesses or dependencies.
Synonyms
- to have someone under one’s thumb
- to hold sway over
- to have the upper hand
