hold over someone's head

verb

To harp on; to remind continuously (especially of a misstep or defeat).

“I get one parking ticket and he holds it over my head for six months.”

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Meanings

verbhold over someone's head (third-person singular simple present holds over someone's head, present participle holding over someone's head, simple past and past participle held over someone's head)

present singular third person holds over someone's head · participle present holding over someone's head · participle past held over someone's head · past held over someone's head

  1. idiomatictransitiveTo harp on; to remind continuously (especially of a misstep or defeat).

    I get one parking ticket and he holds it over my head for six months.

Cite this entry
APA

hold over someone's head. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20over%20someone's%20head

MLA

“hold over someone's head.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20over%20someone's%20head. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hold over someone's head,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20over%20someone's%20head.

Source: hold over someone's head on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.