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3. keep (someone) under (one's) thumb

keep (someone) under (one's) thumb

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keep (someone) under (one's) thumb

To maintain authoritarian control over someone; to continually force someone to submit to one's will. They seem happy when they're out and about, but I hear that Johnny keeps his husband under his thumb at home. Although the job was well paying, I couldn't stand the way the boss kept me under his thumb.

See also: keep, thumb