putty in someone's hands en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
A metaphor likening the easy malleability of putty to the easy manipulability of the person. First use appears c. 1867.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, informal, uncountable) One who is readily manipulated or controlled by another person; a puppet.
[H]e clocks on at 8.30 pm with the opening guitar notes of his most famous song, ‘Purple Rain’. Everyone is instantly putty in his hands.
2007 August 5, Kitty Empire, “Nothing compares 2 Prince”, in guardian.co.uk, retrieved 27 Jul 2010:Why, Marseny, here, he wan't no more than so much putty in her hands.
1894 May 27, Harold Frederic, “Marsena”, in New York Times, retrieved 27 Jul 2010, page 19:So long as she behaves in a way to keep his love and respect he's putty in her hands.
1941 December 11, “Caroline Chatfield Says”, in St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 27 Jul 2010, page 17:Well, your looks had me putty in your hand now / But I took just as much as I can stand now
2011, Mayer Hawthorne, “The Walk”, in How Do You Do:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| putty in the hands of someone | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
wimp · wrap around one's little finger · pushover · eat out of someone's hand · wuss
Synonyms
Translations (6)
fr marionnette (a person easily manipulated) · pt joguete nas mãos de (a person easily manipulated) · it pappamolla (a person easily manipulated) · hu báb (a person easily manipulated) · pl pantofel (a person easily manipulated) · hu úgy táncol, ahogy fütyülnek (neki) (a person easily manipulated)