with an iron fist
7
7.7
- idiom
:
con mano de hierro
- In her classroom, the teacher maintained discipline with an iron fist, ensuring that every student followed the rules.
- ruled with an iron fist
How do we avoid the government coming down with an iron fist and saying, yeah, this is this is illegal now?
- How do we avoid the government coming down with an iron fist and saying, yeah, this is this is illegal now?
- Glenn, you obviously sit atop and rule with an iron fist a very powerful civic museum.
- But I remember and we never crossed my dad, he he ruled with an iron, with an iron fist and stick.
Examples
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Between 1945 and 1980, Yugoslavia was ruled with an iron fist by Marshall Tito, a non-Serb Communist dictator.
Academic text (1997) -
The dictator governed the country with an iron fist, enforcing strict laws and punishing dissent.
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Should I enforce this policy with an iron fist?
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He rules this place with an iron fist.
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If you don't rule with an iron fist, you will achieve nothing in a democratic congress.
Blog text (2) -
He will have great power over the masses and shall rule with an iron fist.
Blog text (1) -
The wives of the super-rich ruled high society with an iron fist after the Civil War.
Blog text (20) -
Hynkel the dictator ruled the nation with an iron fist.
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With an iron fist, Muhammad defeated the rebellious tribes and conquered their city.
Academic text (2015) -
The leadership of the terrorist movement that governs Gaza with an iron fist is cowering in the bunkers.
Blog text (31)
Synonyms
1
9.1
In a strong controlling way that ignores other people's opinions
1
8.1
To act with complete power without asking other people what they think
1
7.9
In a cruel, unfair way using strong control over others
In a cruel way that ignores people's rights
In a way that shows someone wants to control other people
Antonyms
How Strict
Surface Forms
Morphology
The image is built from 'iron' (strong, unyielding) + 'fist' (a closed hand/force), so a learner who knows the words can plausibly infer a sense of harsh, forceful control. However this is a conventionalized metaphor (not a literal instrument) and its specific pragmatic meaning 'rule oppressively' is idiomatic enough that a B1 learner might not fully predict it without exposure, so it is only partly transparent.
Etymology
With an iron fist comes from the image of a leader holding power like a hard iron fist that does not bend. That strong, unbending picture shows harsh control, so the phrase means 'with very strict or oppressive control'.