Stranglehold
/ˈstræŋ.ɡəl.hoʊld/noun
A grip or position of control that is hard to escape.
Did you know?The word combines the violent verb *strangle* with *hold*, and its modern political meaning preserves the image of something being gripped so tightly it can’t breathe or break free.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
strang
“Strong, powerful, forceful”
Middle English
ME
stranglen
“To throttle or choke”
Middle English
ME
holden
“To hold, keep, grasp”
19th Century
English
stranglehold
“A grip used to choke someone; later, a tight controlling grip or domination”
Modern English
English
stranglehold
“A state of severe control or domination that is hard to escape”