force someone's hand

idiom

: to make it necessary for someone to do something
She'd intended to postpone her decision, but events forced her hand.

Dictionary Entries Near force someone's hand

Cite this Entry

“Force someone's hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/force%20someone%27s%20hand. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!