to lord it over
6
8.2
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
dominar
- In the meantime, within the small, closed compartment, he becomes "king of the Jews" and lords it over his companions in various ways.
Now, a Greek tyrant doesn't just mean somebody who's a bully who Lords it over other people.
- Now, a Greek tyrant doesn't just mean somebody who's a bully who Lords it over other people.
Examples
-
Yeah, Paul, and that means that the directors lord it over the workers.
Blog text (17) -
Many of us went on to become college professors and thus gained power in the classroom, where we could lord it over those who were not like us.
Academic text (2011) -
And he'll be able to lord it over me for the rest of my life.
-
Except that the man had need to lord it over someone.
Fiction book (1994) -
Why should the Great Ones lord it over me and run my life as they see fit, as if I were a child?
Fiction book (1995) -
I mean, she spends all her time you know, creating this, this perfect image of herself just so she can lord it over people.
-
Your yearning shall be for your husband, yet he will lord it over you.
Academic text (1991) -
Neither should seek to lord it over the other or to claim superiority by dint of size, population, or past performance.
Academic text (1991) -
"You nobles have lorded it over us and trampled on us -but you can't do it forever."
-
After winning the championship, he started to lord it over his friends by bragging about his achievements.
Synonyms
49
5.2
To be the most powerful influence in a situation
48
3.7
To rise above a place and be clearly visible from around it
37
4.5
Tell people what to do in a rude way when you have no right
23
4.2
To be in charge of people or a place
20
7.9
Act as if you control the place
8
7.5
To treat other people as if you are better than them
4
8.4
Act as if you are better than other people
2
8.8
To boss other people around and not let them speak
1
6.7
Behave as if you are better than other people
Behave as if others are less important
To act as if you are better than others and tell them they are wrong
To make others see you are in charge
Antonyms
How Domineering
- US
2
8.4
2
8.8
- Informal
6
8.2
- Offensive
52
7.0
- Offensive
53
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
lord + it + over
The meaning 'to act in a superior or domineering way' follows directly from combining 'lord' (someone with authority) with 'over' (above, dominating); 'it' is a dummy pronoun with no independent semantic contribution. This vertical/dominance composition is a transparent metaphor and a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
The phrasal verb lord it over comes from the image of a feudal lord standing over people, looking down and giving orders. That's why it means 'to act as if you are better than others'.