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- under thumb
under thumb
*under someone's thumb
Fig. under someone's control and management. (*Typically: get someone ~; have someone ~; hold someone ~; keep someone ~.) You can't keep your kids under your thumb all their lives. I don't want to have these people under my thumb. I'm not the manager type.
under somebody's/something's thumb
also under the thumb of somebody/something completely controlled by someone or something That girl is totally under her mother's thumb.
under (someone's) thumb
Under the control of someone; subordinate to.