clip someone's wings

verb

To restrict someone's freedom.

Similar
clip the wings of
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Meanings

verbclip someone's wings (third-person singular simple present clips someone's wings, present participle clipping someone's wings, simple past and past participle clipped someone's wings)

present singular third person clips someone's wings · participle present clipping someone's wings · participle past clipped someone's wings · past clipped someone's wings

  1. idiomaticTo restrict someone's freedom.

    Synonyms: clip the wings of

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo restrict someone's freedom.

Similar
clip the wings of
Also see
clip the wings of

Origin

A reference to someone clipping a bird's wings to prevent it from flying away.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish katkaista siivet
  • katkaista siivetTo curtail someone's freedom
French couper les ailes
  • couper les ailesTo curtail someone's freedom
Italian tarpare le ali
  • tarpare le aliTo curtail someone's freedom
Polish podcinać skrzydła, podciąć skrzydła
  • podcinać skrzydłaTo curtail someone's freedom
  • podciąć skrzydłaTo curtail someone's freedom
Swedish vingklippa
  • vingklippaTo curtail someone's freedom
Cite this entry
APA

clip someone's wings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clip%20someone's%20wings

MLA

“clip someone's wings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clip%20someone's%20wings. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clip someone's wings,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clip%20someone's%20wings.

Source: clip someone's wings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.