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
Janice	JAN-is	English
Nimat	-	Arabic
DuŠAna	-	Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Slovak
Vohu Manah	-	Persian Mythology
Alured	['æljured]
Maud	[mɔd]