eat out of someone's hand
English
Alternative forms
- eat from someone's hand
Etymology
An allusion to the manner in which a tame animal can be fed.
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb
eat out of someone's hand (third-person singular simple present eats out of someone's hand, present participle eating out of someone's hand, simple past ate out of someone's hand, past participle eaten out of someone's hand)
- (idiomatic) To behave in a docile, submissive way towards someone.
- 1954, Earl Wilson, "Earl Wilson's Broadway," Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 7 Oct., p. 17 (retrieved 20 July 2010):
- When a woman has her husband eating out of her hand, says Washout, you can bet she also has him eating out of cans.
- 2003, Tom Fordyce, "Saturday's Paris diary," BBC News, 30 Aug. (retrieved 20 July 2010):
- Jana Pittman, the new 400m hurdles world champion, had the media eating out of her hand in the aftermath of her victory.
- 2008, Dave Duncan, The Alchemist's Apprentice, →ISBN, page 151:
- Violetta is well aware of all this and goes out of her way to charm him. . . . He eats out of her hand and would not notice if she fed him rocks.
- 1954, Earl Wilson, "Earl Wilson's Broadway," Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 7 Oct., p. 17 (retrieved 20 July 2010):
Usage notes
- Often used to describe a man's submissiveness to a woman due to romantic attraction.
- Usually used in the present participial form: eating out of someone's hand.
Translations
to be submissive due to fascination
|
See also
- putty in someone's hands
- wrap around one's little finger