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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Under someone’s thumb

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

Controlled or strongly dominated by someone else.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. In the story, the committee is under the wealthy patron’s thumb.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

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Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

Controlled or strongly dominated by someone else.
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Under someone’s thumb — Controlled or strongly dominated by someone else.

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Write one sentence using “Under someone’s thumb” about your own life.

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Controlled or strongly dominated by someone else.

Compare: In the story, the committee is under the wealthy patron’s thumb.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use this critical expression about a person or group with little freedom to make their own decisions. It is stronger than saying someone has ordinary guidance or supervision.

More examples in context

  • The character wants to stop being under her manager’s thumb.
  • He keeps the fictional board under his thumb by controlling every decision.

Usage note

The possessive names the person in control: “under her thumb” means she has the control. It usually suggests excessive influence, rather than a balanced working relationship.

A short conversation

A: Why does the committee never disagree with the patron in the novel?
B: They’re under his thumb. He controls their funding and every major decision.
A: That explains their reluctance to speak.

One more practice question

If a committee is under a patron’s thumb, who has the controlling influence?

A. The patron.
B. The committee independently, without the patron’s influence.

Check your answer

A. The person named before “thumb” holds the control.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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