Out of Control, Losing Control, Being in Charge and 4 More Topics · English Idioms: Decision Control

(of an action) done due to one's pride being hurt or not being treated well

"He resigned in a fit of pique."

"In a fit of pique the actress quit the play because she did not get the dressing room she wanted."

(of a situation) to keep getting worse in an uncontrollable manner

"The situation is spiraling out of control."

"The small argument spiralled out of control and turned into a huge family fight."

without any prior planning or thought

"We decided on the spur of the moment."

"On the spur of the moment we decided to drive to the beach for the weekend."

at a time when anger or excitement completely overwhelm one, preventing any rational thought to come to mind

"He said it in the heat of the moment."

"In the heat of the argument he said things that he later deeply regretted saying."

to find it extremely difficult to control oneself, due to feeling really angry, excited, etc.

"She was beside herself yesterday."

"When he heard the terrible news, he was beside himself with grief and could not stop crying."

used to say that a situation is beyond human control and is left to fate or chance to determine

"It is in the gods' lap."

"The final outcome of the election is now in the lap of the gods, as the recount is complete."

to make a decision to do something solely based on one's emotions

"Don't let heart rule your head."

"She let her heart rule her head and accepted the job without thinking about the long-term consequences."

to be able to beat someone or something due to being superior in terms of skill or strength

"His anger got the better of him."

"The difficult conditions finally got the better of the hiker and he had to turn back down the mountain."

used to refer to a situation in which a person or thing that is important or powerful is being led or controlled by a significantly less powerful or important person or thing

"The new intern is telling senior staff what to do — that is the tail wagging the dog."

"When the marketing team started overriding engineering decisions, it was clearly a case of the tail wagging the dog."

(of a person) completely insane

"He is raving mad today."

"After working for twenty hours without rest, everyone thought he had gone completely raving bonkers."

to be unable to control oneself due to being under emotional or mental pressure

"She went to pieces after the news."

"After hearing the terrible news the poor woman went to pieces and could not stop crying."

to unexpectedly switch from the planned path

"The train jumped the tracks."

"The company jumped the tracks when it started ignoring customer complaints and quality control."

to allow oneself to behave freely and have fun

"He decided to cut loose and have fun."

"After graduating from university he cut loose and travelled around Asia for six months."

an unexpected or unusual occurrence or event that alters the course of events

"By a strange quirk of fate, we met again."

"By a quirk of fate they met again after twenty years at the same airport in Paris."

(of behavior) not in accordance with law and order and free from control

"His behavior was wild and woolly."

"The group's wild and woolly antics during the festival were both entertaining and slightly concerning."

to be unable to conceal one's strong feeling or urge

"He got the best of me."

"The overwhelming urge to eat the entire cake got the best of him."

used to say that something is out of control or unpredictable

"His life went off the rails."

"The project went off the rails when the manager quit and nobody took charge."

to say that one will do something even though they might not really intending to

"I have half a mind to leave right now."

"I have half a mind to call the manager and complain about the terrible service we received today."

feeling strong emotions, like fear or anxiety, in a way that makes it difficult for one to stand

"The sight made me weak in the knees."

"The young man felt weak in the knees when he saw the beautiful woman across the room."

to complete a task or activity with thoroughness, efficiency, and speed, often suggesting a focused and diligent approach

"They went to town."

"We need to go to town on this project if we want to finish it by Friday."

to refrain from or stop looking at a person or thing

"Keep your eyes off my phone."

"It was difficult for the child to keep his eyes off the brightly colored toys displayed in the shop window."

to lose one's temper and behave irrationally

"He threw his toys out of the cot when he lost."

"The sore loser threw his toys out of the cot when he did not win the game."

to entrust someone with one's life

"I put my life in hands."

"When you climb a mountain with a guide, you are essentially putting your life in someone else's hands."

to respond or react to something in a forceful manner

"He came out fighting hard."

"After the unfair criticism, she came out fighting and defended her ideas with strong arguments and confidence."

to be unable to control one's behavior due to a strong emotion such as anger, excitement, etc.

"Do not get carried away."

"I got carried away at the bookshop and spent way more money than I planned to spend."

to panic or respond with extreme fear or urgency in a situation, often without thinking logically or rationally

"Do not hit the panic button yet."

"When the computer crashed the inexperienced employee hit the panic button and called for help."

impossible or very hard to control

"The situation got out of hand."

"After the initial incident, the protest quickly escalated and became completely out of hand."

to engage in an activity or pursuit with great enthusiasm, energy, or extravagance, often to an excessive or intense degree

"We will go to town."

"She decided to go to town decorating the house for the holiday party."

used to say that someone is behaving in a way that is wild, irrational, or unconventional

"He is off the rails."

"After the sudden job loss, his behavior became increasingly erratic and off the rails."

used to say that someone can decide whether one lives or dies

"My life is in hands."

"When you undergo a serious surgery, your life is literally in the hands of the skilled surgeon."

to use one's power or influence in order to get what one wants, particularly by behaving in an aggressive and dominating manner

"He likes to throw his weight around."

"The new manager throws his weight around and bullies everyone who works under him."

to tell people what to do in a forceful and authoritative manner

"The boss laid down the law."

"The new manager had to lay down the law regarding punctuality and attendance."

to be the one who makes important decisions and is in complete control and of a relationship or family

"She wears the pants here."

"Everyone in the office knows that she is the one who wears the pants in the company because she makes all the important financial decisions."

in complete control of or with overall responsibility for a particular person or thing

"He is at the helm of the company."

"The innovative CEO has been at the helm of the technology company for over a decade, guiding its success."

as long as one has the power and authority or is responsible for something

"Nothing bad happened on my watch."

"The manager felt responsible for the decline in sales that occurred on his watch."

to be in control of a particular situation and be the one who decides what needs to be done

"She calls the shots here."

"In our family, my grandmother is the one who calls the tune and everyone respects her decisions."

the position of high power or authority from which one can exert complete control over a situation or others

"The manager had the upper hand."

"The home team gained the upper hand after scoring two quick goals in the second half."

to be in control and have absolute power in a group or in a situation

"She rules the roost at home."

"Ever since he was young, he has liked to rule the roost and make all the decisions."

a powerful person or organization that invades people's privacy by controlling and monitoring their actions

"Big brother is watching."

"Big brother is watching you and the government monitors citizens' online activity."

the ultimate and conclusive statement or decision about a subject

"She had the last word."

"The manager's final word on the matter was that no further changes would be considered."

to get complete control of or to heavily influence someone or something

"The ad got its hooks into me."

"The clever marketing campaign got its hooks into young consumers who became loyal customers."

to be in charge of a particular company, organization, etc.

"She likes to hold the reins."

"The experienced politician was chosen to hold the reins of the new government during the crisis."

used to mean that one has control, responsibility, or authority over something

"Your future is in your own hands."

"The future of the project is in your hands now so please make good decisions for everyone."

used to refer to an individual who has authority and control over their own life and decisions

"Be the captain of your own ship."

"After leaving his stressful job he became captain of his own ship by starting a small business."

the ultimate and conclusive statement or decision about a subject

"That's the lastword."

"After a lengthy debate, the committee's decision on the new policy was the definitive lastword."

to leave someone no choice but to do something they would not do otherwise

"He forced my hand, so I quit."

"The unexpected resignation of his main competitor forced his hand to reconsider his own business strategy."

to make someone do something by putting them under pressure, especially to get money from them

"They put the squeeze on him."

"The loan sharks began to put the squeeze on the debtor, threatening him with severe consequences."

to reduce or restrain a person's freedom, influence, or authority

"They clipped his wings at work."

"After his repeated insubordination, the manager decided to clip the ambitious employee's wings by assigning him less important tasks."

to place someone in a situation in which they have no choice but to accept one's offer or request

"They had him over a barrel."

"The landlord had the tenants over a barrel by threatening to evict them unless they agreed to a significant rent increase immediately."

to make use of one's power or authority to force someone to work harder or behave better

"The teacher cracked the whip today."

"The drill sergeant cracked the whip, ensuring that the new recruits performed their exercises with maximum effort."

to be placed in a problematic situation to which there is no favorable solution

"I felt boxed into a corner."

"With the deadline approaching and no funding secured, the startup found itself boxed into a corner with few options."

to have no option but to make use of people or things of very poor quality

"We are scraping the barrel now."

"The theater company had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find actors for the small roles."

used to say that one's freedom in action is limited by a rule or law

"My hands are tied here now."

"I understand your frustration, but my hands are tied by the company's strict privacy policy."

to do something without real interest, feeling, or effort

"He just goes through motions."

"She went through the motions at work but felt no real passion for the job anymore."

the feeling or belief that one must do or accomplish something

"He answered the call of duty."

"The brave firefighter answered the call of duty and ran into the burning building to save the child."

to get an advantage from doing something that is forced upon one

"He made a virtue of necessity."

"When the budget was cut, the team made a virtue of necessity and found creative ways to deliver the project on time."

used to say that someone has two options, either accept what has been said or leave it be

"It's my way or the highway."

"The coach made it clear that it was his way or the highway, leaving no room for negotiation with the players on the team."

something that limits or takes away one's freedom to do what one wants

"My job feels like a ball and chain."

"For many, the daily commute to a job they dislike feels like a ball and chain restricting their personal freedom."

a set of instructions from a person in authority concerning what one must do or how to do it

"The employee was given marching orders."

"The general issued clear marching orders to his troops, detailing the exact objectives of the upcoming mission."

offered or provided without any hidden agendas, requirements, or consequences

"He gave her the gift with no strings attached."

"The grant was offered with no strings attached — the organisation could use the funds however it saw fit."

to do things as desired or required by someone else

"You always dance to his tune."

"The new employee dances to his manager tune and does everything exactly as he is told."

to have power and influence over someone

"The debt has him by the balls."

"The landlord discovered a serious code violation, giving him the power to have the tenant by the balls."

in a way that closely imitates what the others are doing in an unquestioning manner

"The fans followed each other like sheep."

"The crowd followed the charismatic leader like sheep, accepting his every word without critical thought."

used to demonstrate one's complete obedience

"Your wish is my command."

"The devoted assistant always responded with 'Your wish is my command,' eager to fulfill any request from her boss."

to have someone under one's complete domination or control

"She had him eating out of her hand."

"The charismatic speaker had the entire audience eating out of his hand from the very first sentence of his speech."

completely under one's direct control

"He is under her thumb."

"The manager had his employees completely under his thumb, dictating every aspect of their work."

to manage to convince someone to do whatever one asks of them out of love or respect that they have for one

"She wrapped him around her finger."

"The charming salesperson managed to wrap the customer around her little finger with a smile."

at someone's complete service

"She is at her boss's beck and call."

"The wealthy heir had a team of assistants at his beck and call, ready to fulfill his every whim."

to accept to obey someone

"The dog came to heel immediately."

"The disobedient dog finally came to heel when his owner showed him the tasty treat."

to order someone to do something for one

"Just give the word."

"Tell me when you are ready to start the project, and I will give the word to begin."

to use force to make someone do as one says

"The new coach brought us to heel."

"The company threatened legal action to bring the rebellious employees to heel and enforce the new policy."

to have complete control over another individual

"I have him by short hairs."

"With the evidence I possess, I have the suspect by the short hairs."

to unwillingly obey the rules and accept the ideas or principles of a specific group or person

"All employees must toe the line."

"The strict teacher expects all students to toe the line and follow every single classroom rule."

to come to a final decision or conclusion after considering different options or possibilities

"Make up your mind now."

"You need to make up your mind soon because we cannot wait for you forever."

(always negative) ‌to refuse to make even a slightest change to one's position, decision, etc.

"He would not give an inch during negotiations."

"The opposing side would not give an inch during the negotiations so we eventually had to accept their terms."

to refuse to change one's opinion or decision regarding something

"Just sit tight."

"Despite the pressure from his colleagues, he decided to sit tight and not alter his original proposal."

to maintain one's beliefs or perspective regardless of others' disagreement

"He stuck to his own guns."

"Even though everyone else disagreed, she decided to stick to her guns and defend her research findings."

used to say that something is completely decided and cannot be changed

"The die is cast."

"The election results are in, and the die is cast; there is no turning back now."

to refuse to change one's opinions, behaviors, habits, etc.

"My grandfather is set in his ways."

"She is so set in her ways that she refuses to try any new technology or modern methods."

to act quickly in order to use an opportunity

"Take time by forelock."

"Seeing the unexpected opening, she decided to take time by the forelock and seize the opportunity."

used to describe a situation that has almost no chance of changing as it is already decided

"It is cut and dried."

"The contract terms were already cut and dried, leaving no room for further negotiation."

used to express a strong refusal to do something, regardless of the great reward or incentive offered

"Not for all tea China."

"I would not betray my best friend, not for all the tea in China."

to firmly take control and enforce a specific action

"She put her foot down."

"The parents finally had to put their foot down about the late curfew."

to fully commit to a course of action without any intention of retreat or hesitation

"He threw away the scabbard."

"Once they decided to launch the new product, they threw away the scabbard and committed fully."

completely uncertain or left unresolved

"Plans are up in air."

"Our travel arrangements for the summer holiday are still completely up in the air."

having no idea what one should do, particularly due to an unexpected or upsetting change

"I am at loose ends."

"After losing his job unexpectedly, he found himself feeling quite at loose ends for several weeks."

used when one is uncertain, particularly due to being stuck between two alternatives

"I am betwixt and between."

"He felt betwixt and between, unable to decide whether to accept the promotion or stay in his current role."

used to refer to a situation in which the outcome is unclear until the last moment

"The election went down to the wire."

"The championship game remained incredibly close, going down to the wire before a winner was decided."

a situation in which it is hard to determine what is right or wrong or what one must do

"This issue has shades of gray."

"When considering the ethical dilemma, it became clear that there were many shades of gray involved in the decision."

used to refer to someone who is completely confused

"I am at sixes and sevens."

"After receiving conflicting instructions from three different managers, he was completely at sixes and sevens about what to do next."

the state in which one loses all one's confidence and willingness to continue doing something

"He gets cold feet and calls off the wedding."

"He gets cold feet and calls off the wedding three days before the ceremony."

the parts of something that are yet to be finished or resolved

"The plot had loose threads."

"The detective noticed several loose threads in the suspect's alibi that needed further investigation to be resolved."

to be in an unsatisfactory situation where one is unable to choose between two courses of action

"He fell between two stools."

"By trying to please both his parents and his friends, he unfortunately fell between two stools and satisfied neither."

to not now how to react to a situation as one is extremely frustrated or confused

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

"When the car broke down just before the important meeting, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the terrible timing."

in a situation where one has difficulty choosing between two alternatives because both are equally undesirable

"I am between a rock and a hard place."

"He found himself between a rock and a hard place, forced to choose between losing his job or betraying his friend."

to keep changing one's behavior or opinions in an abrupt manner

"Stop chopping and changing."

"The politician's tendency to chop and change his policy positions made it difficult for voters to trust his promises."

in a situation where both choices lead to an undesirable outcome

"I am caught between the devil and the deep blue sea."

"He was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea either he lost his job or he moved to another city."

‌in a situation that forces one to choose between two alternatives that both have equally undesirable outcomes

"She is on the horns of a dilemma."

"The manager found himself on the horns of a dilemma between cutting staff or reducing everyone's hours and pay."

to hesitate in making a decision or saying something

"Stop hemming and hawing and tell me."

"Stop hemming and hawing and just tell us whether you want to accept the job offer or not."

‌used to express that no decision is made or no opinion is formed about something due to uncertainty

"We do not know the result yet — the jury is still out."

"The jury is still out on whether artificial intelligence will ultimately benefit or harm the global workforce."

in a situation that one has to make an important and life-changing decision

"She is at the crossroads."

"After graduating from college, he found himself at the crossroads, contemplating two very different career paths."

in a state of uncertainty in which it becomes difficult for one to make a decision between two available options

"I am of two minds."

"She was of two minds about accepting the job offer, as it involved a significant relocation."