tie one's hands

Prevent one from acting, as in I can't help you this time; my hands are tied by the club's rules. This metaphoric term transfers physical bondage to other kinds of constraint. It was first recorded in 1642.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Gabriels	-	Latvian
Feliciano	fe-lee-CHYAH-no (Italian), fe-lee-THYAH-no (Spanish), fe-lee-SYAH-no (Latin American Spanish)	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Lavern	lə-VURN	English
Thorborg	-	Swedish
Lunete	-	Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Hallvar&Eth;R	-	Ancient Scandinavian