Meanings
- idiomaticIn a disadvantageous or helpless situation, especially one in which one may be controlled or victimized.
Ford had the U.A.W. over a barrel; if it failed to sign by midnight, the U.A.W. would be forced to give up its union shop.
1947 September 1, “Happy Day”, in Time1 more example
Bruce Ohr revealed that "an unnamed former Russian intelligence official had communicated that Russian intelligence believed 'they had Trump over a barrel', a "sentiment [that] is echoed in Steele's dossier".
2018 September 1, “AP sources: Lawyer was told Russia had 'Trump over a barrel'”, in AP NewsSynonyms: up a tree, up the creek, have someone by the short hairs § Synonyms
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseIn a disadvantageous or helpless situation, especially one in which one may be controlled or victimized.
Origin
According to The Oxford English Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, the phrase possibly refers to the act of placing an individual who has been rescued from drowning over a barrel to allow their lungs to clear of water.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch hopeloos, in de knel
- hopeloosin a helpless situation
- in de knelin a helpless situation
Italian spalle al muro
- spalle al muroin a helpless situation
Polish w garści
- w garściin a helpless situation
Russian заста́ть кого́-ли́бо враспло́х
- заста́ть кого́-ли́бо враспло́х (zastátʹ kovó-líbo vrasplóx)in a helpless situation
Spanish contra la pared
- contra la paredin a helpless situation
Cite this entry
over a barrel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20a%20barrel
“over a barrel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20a%20barrel. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “over a barrel,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/over%20a%20barrel.
Source: over a barrel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.