get by the balls

verb

To have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

“(Theodore Roosevelt)”

Similar
have by the short and curlies
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Meanings

verbget by the balls (third-person singular simple present gets by the balls, present participle getting by the balls, simple past got by the balls, past participle (UK) got by the balls or (US) gotten by the balls)

present singular third person gets by the balls · participle present getting by the balls · past got by the balls · UK participle past got by the balls · US participle past gotten by the balls

  1. slangvulgarTo have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

    (Theodore Roosevelt)

    2 more examples

    Too bad she's got you by the balls.

    1974, Rolling Stones, Short And Curlies

    If you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.

    Synonyms: have by the short and curlies

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo have complete control over someone, especially of a woman abusing a man's infatuation with her.

Similar
have by the short and curlies

Origin

See balls (“testicles”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian tenere per le palle
  • tenere per le palleto have complete control over someone
Russian держа́ть за я́йца
  • держа́ть за я́йца (deržátʹ za jájca)to have complete control over someone
Cite this entry
APA

get by the balls. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20by%20the%20balls

MLA

“get by the balls.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20by%20the%20balls. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get by the balls,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20by%20the%20balls.

Source: get by the balls on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.