BY THE SHORT HAIRS Definition & Meaning

by the short hairs

Under one's complete control. This expression is often used with get or have, as in She had her husband by the short hairs. It is in effect a euphemism for have someone by the balls, the hairs in question being pubic hair. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]

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Poor Michael Flynn, they twisted these people, they got them in the perjury trap, they had them by the short hairs, got them to cooperate, and guess what?

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“And she just kind of looked at me and grabbed me by the short hairs and said, ‘Fight for me, fight for our kids, and fight for the people that love you.’

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“Right now, they are holding us by the short hairs. You’d have to say, ‘O.K., we’re going to go with the Democrats so that Mark Meadows cannot be Mr. Veto.’

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How can he put "America first" when the Russians may have him by the short hairs?

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In the past, pay-TV companies had customers by the short hairs and could dictate terms.

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by the seat of the pants by the skin of one's teeth

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by the short hairs

Example Sentences