collar (someone)

collar (someone)

1. To detain or restrain someone, either physically or figuratively. Likened to grabbing someone by the collar. I was trying to get out of the office early, but my boss collared me on my way out. I spent all afternoon running around collaring the kids to bring them in for supper. I thought I'd be able to sneak out of the assembly, but one of the nuns collared me and pulled me back inside.

2. Of police, to arrest or detain someone, such as a suspect of a crime. Police were able to collar the suspect after he fled down one of the neighborhood's back alleys. The police will collar all of us if they catch us drinking—we are underage, you know. After trying to collar these guys for months, we were finally able to bring them into the station tonight.

See also: collar

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

collar

1. tv. to arrest someone. (see also collared.) The cops collared her as she was leaving the hotel.

2. n. an arrest. It was a tough collar, with all the screaming and yelling.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.