stranglehold

plural strangleholds

1. A grip or control so strong as to stifle or cut off.

   For years the company had a stranglehold on the rest of the industry.

   2 more examples

   Numerous witnesses had come forward at that time to state that they had watched Kelly tackle Symaco and pin her on the floor in a strangle-hold until investigating officers arrived to pry him loose.

   1979 August 25, Jil Clark, “Police Officer Convicted in Beating of Lesbians”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 6, page 1

   That record felt like ancient history as the Djokovic of 2011 overcame a slightly edgy start to take a stranglehold on the match.

   2011 July 3, Piers Newbury, “Wimbledon 2011: Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal in final”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: chokehold, throttlehold

present singular third person strangleholds · participle present strangleholding · participle past strangleheld · past strangleheld

1. transitiveTo hold a tight grip or control.

   "She does not hold a partner; she strangleholds him. As soon as a man realizes how tightly she holds on, he leaves her."

   2014, David Richo, When Love Meets Fear: How to Become Defense-less and Resource-full

   Synonyms: clasp, grasp, grip