English

Alternative forms

• eat from someone's hand

Verb

eat out of someone's hand

1. (idiomatic) To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody.
   • 1954, Earl Wilson, "Earl Wilson's Broadway," Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 7 Oct., p. 17 (retrieved 20 July 2010):

     When a woman has her husband eating out of her hand, says Washout, you can bet she also has him eating out of cans.

   • 2003, Tom Fordyce, "Saturday's Paris diary," BBC News, 30 Aug. (retrieved 20 July 2010):

     Jana Pittman, the new 400m hurdles world champion, had the media eating out of her hand in the aftermath of her victory.

   • 2008, Dave Duncan, The Alchemist's Apprentice, ISBN 9780441015757, p. 151:

     Violetta is well aware of all this and goes out of her way to charm him. . . . He eats out of her hand and would not notice if she fed him rocks.

Usage notes

• Often used to describe a man's submissiveness to a woman due to romantic attraction.
• Usually used in the present participial form: eating out of someone's hand.

Translations

See also

• putty in someone's hands
• wrap around one's little finger