English

1912 illustration of an inmate being punished in an American prison

Adjective

over a barrel ‎(not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, especially one in which one may be controlled or victimized.
   • 1947 Sept. 1, "Happy Day," Time:

     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.

Synonyms

• up a tree, up the creek

Translations

References

• “over a barrel” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
• “over a barrel” in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Online.