have (someone) under (one's) thumb イディオム

all thumbs

clumsy, unable to hold it, fingers feel like thumbs When I try to sew a button on my shirt, I'm all thumbs.

green thumb

skill in making plants grow He has a real green thumb and has a beautiful garden.

rule of thumb

general rule, guideline The rule of thumb for a resume is Don't exceed two pages.

stick out like a sore thumb

not fit or blend, look out of place The ugly painting stuck out like a sore thumb in the art gallery.

thumb a lift/ride

hitchhike Their car had a flat tire so they thumbed a lift to the nearest gas station.

thumb one

look with disfavor or dislike, refuse to obey My friend thumbed his nose at me when I asked him to stop talking so loud.

turn thumbs down

disapprove or reject, say no The building committee turned thumbs down on our plans to make the office larger.

turn thumbs down on

reject The other negotiating team turned thumbs down on our wish to postpone the meeting until tomorrow.

under your thumb

under your control, doing your wishes Willie is under your thumb now. He does what you tell him to do.

twiddle one's thumbs

Idiom(s): twiddle one's thumbs

Theme: TIME - WASTE

to fill up time by playing with one's fingers.
• What am I supposed to do while waiting for you? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?
• Don't sit around twiddling your thumbs. Get busy!

have (someone) beneath (one's) thumb

To advance absolute ascendancy over someone; to always force addition to abide to one's will. They assume blessed back they're out and about, but I apprehend that Johnny has his bedmate absolutely beneath his deride back they're at home. Although the job was able-bodied paying, I couldn't angle the way the bang-up had me beneath his thumb.Learn more: have, thumb

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