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Glite Dictionary
to have the world by the tail

to have the world by the tail

1 9.1
To feel very successful and have control of your life
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : tener el mundo a tus pies
  • When he received the job offer, Max knew he had the world by the tail and could finally make his dreams come true.

Examples

  • After landing the lead role in the play, Jamie felt she had the world by the tail and was ready to take on any challenge.

  • A pretty face and you can have the world by the tail.

    Final Exam (1981)

  • Had the world by the tail, so to speak.

    Ride the High Country (1962)

  • We were all a bunch of forty-year-olds who had the world by the tail.

    Academic text (2010)

  • We had the world by the tail with a downhill pull, and all of a sudden you go glum on me.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Right after graduation, I felt like I really had the world by the tail with so many opportunities ahead of me.

Synonyms

on top of the world
vsto have the world by the tail
  • Informal
29 2.8

Feeling very happy and successful

focuses on being fortunate and in control rather than just feeling happy
to have it made
vsto have the world by the tail
  • Informal
12 5.6

To be in a very lucky situation with little to worry about

is about feeling lucky and in control rather than only having comfort
to hold all the cards
vsto have the world by the tail
  • Informal
7 5.5

To have complete control and a strong advantage in a situation

is fortunate and feels in control of circumstances

Antonyms

unfortunate
5 3.0

A person who has bad luck or a hard life

How Fortunate

on top of the world
  • Informal
29 2.8
to have the world by the tail
  • Informal
1 9.1
to have it made
  • Informal
12 5.6
success
∞ 1.0
lucky
∞ 1.0
to do well
520 1.2

Surface Forms

have the world by the tail infinitive
had the world by the tail past
had the world by the tail past participle
having the world by the tail present participle
has the world by the tail third person singular

Morphology

have + the + world + by + the + tail

The elements 'have' + 'world' give a loose clue of possession or advantage, but the phrase 'by the tail' is a figurative image that does not directly map onto control or success for learners. The overall idiomatic sense (being very fortunate or in control) is partially inferable from the constituents but requires exposure to the metaphor, so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Have the world by the tail paints a picture: imagine holding the world by its tail, so it cannot escape and you are in charge. That's why it means 'to be in control'.