Meanings
- Being fully controlled or influenced by something.
The vamp melted into his sizzling hit, "Don't Stop," and in a matter of seconds the audience was in the palm of his hand.
1983 April 9, Charles Fuller Jr., “Sylvester Sparkles”, in Gay Community News, page 61 more example
Opinion polls in the wake of the interview showed support for the princess at 92 percent. She had the public in the palm of her hand.
April 5 2022, Tina Brown, “How Princess Diana’s Dance With the Media Impacted William and Harry”, in Vanity Fair
Translations
Italian tenere qualcuno in pugno
- tenere qualcuno in pugnoto have full control over someone
Polish w garści
- w garścito have full control over someone
Cite this entry
in the palm of one's hand. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20palm%20of%20one's%20hand
“in the palm of one's hand.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20palm%20of%20one's%20hand. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the palm of one's hand,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20palm%20of%20one's%20hand.
Source: in the palm of one's hand on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.