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Glite Dictionary
half nelson

half nelson

1 7.4
A wrestling hold where one arm goes under the opponent's arm and presses the back of the neck
  • noun
  • /hæf ˈnɛlsən/
  • Jargon
translation icon : media nelson
  • His dad has already shown him a couple of basic moves, like the half nelson and the hammerlock, and has promised to teach him how to wrestle for real when he's older.

Examples

  • Charlie is startled, as his date has just gotten Stuart into a Half-Nelson.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • The arms around his midsection disappeared and were replaced by a half nelson.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • A crude half nelson.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The Dude is grabbed from behind and muscled away in a half-nelson by another uniformed chauffeur.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The fork broke away, and Bummer pretended to be surprised and pissed, and he got Rudy in a half nelson and walked him around the room.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • All of a sudden, she leans over and gets a half-nelson on my hair and accuses me of telling the rest of the inmates that she's a latent homosexual.

    Valley of the Dolls (1967)

  • The wrestler applied a half nelson to his opponent, gaining control of the match.

  • During practice, she demonstrated the half nelson to her teammates, explaining its effectiveness.

  • He successfully escaped the hold after being caught in a half nelson during the sparring session.

Synonyms

lock
vshalf nelson
  • Jargon
14 7.4

A way of holding an opponent by twisting or pressing a body part

focuses on neck pressure using one arm under the opponent's arm
nelson
vshalf nelson
  • Jargon
1 9.4

A wrestling move that puts one arm under the opponent's arm from behind and presses the neck

is a specific variant that applies pressure to the back of the neck
wrestling hold
vshalf nelson
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A grip or move used to control an opponent in a match

describes a specific neck press with one arm passed under the opponent's arm

Surface Forms

half nelson singular
half nelsons plural

Morphology

half + nelson

The meaning is directly compositional: 'nelson' denotes a specific neck-hold and the modifier 'half' signals a partial or one-sided version of that hold, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a partial nelson wrestling hold. Although specialized sports vocabulary, the modifier+head logic is straightforward and thus transparent to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Half nelson may come from an older wrestling move called the 'nelson'. In a half nelson, one arm slips under the opponent's arm and presses at the back of the neck to force them down, so the name today means a one-arm 'hold' used to control or pin someone.