force\ one's\ hand

force\ one's\ hand
v. phr.
To make you do something or tell what you will do sooner than planned.

Ben did not want to tell where he was going, but his friend forced his hand.

Mr. Smith planned to keep his land until prices went up, but he had so many doctor bills that it forced his hand.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • force one's hand — phrasal : to cause one to act precipitously his unexpected offer for the property forced my hand : force one who for diplomatic or tactical reasons is passive or noncommittal to act in a way that reveals his beliefs or purposes or intentions …   Useful english dictionary

  • force one's hand — phrasal to cause one to act precipitously ; force one to reveal one s purpose or intention …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • force one's hand — {v. phr.} To make you do something or tell what you will do sooner than planned. * /Ben did not want to tell where he was going, but his friend forced his hand./ * /Mr. Smith planned to keep his land until prices went up, but he had so many… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • force one's hand — {v. phr.} To make you do something or tell what you will do sooner than planned. * /Ben did not want to tell where he was going, but his friend forced his hand./ * /Mr. Smith planned to keep his land until prices went up, but he had so many… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • force one's hand — make someone do something sooner than planned I forced his hand and he told me what he planned to do about the new contract for our company …   Idioms and examples

  • force one's hand — make a person do something against their will …   English contemporary dictionary

  • hand — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. fist, extremity; helper, workman, employee, laborer; handwriting; informal, applause, greeting. See writing, approbation. v. pass, deliver, convey, give, transmit. See giving, side, agency, touch. II… …   English dictionary for students

  • hand — handlike, adj. /hand/, n. 1. the terminal, prehensile part of the upper limb in humans and other primates, consisting of the wrist, metacarpal area, fingers, and thumb. 2. the corresponding part of the forelimb in any of the higher vertebrates. 3 …   Universalium

  • hand — See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE S HANDS, EAT OUT OF ONE S HAND, FORCE ONE S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD HAND, HAM HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE S …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • hand — See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE S HANDS, EAT OUT OF ONE S HAND, FORCE ONE S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD HAND, HAM HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE S …   Dictionary of American idioms

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