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bring to heel
(redirected from call to heel)

    0.07 sec.
bring someone to heel
Fig. to cause someone to act in a disciplined fashion; to force someone to act in a more disciplined manner. She tried to bring her husband to heel, but he had a mind of his own. He was brought to heel by his demanding wife.
See also: bring, heel

bring/call somebody to heel
to force someone to obey you He decided that threatening to sue the publishers was the easiest way of bringing them to heel.
See also: bring, heel

bring somebody to heel (slightly formal)
to force someone to obey you Western politicians opposed the president's effort to bring the Supreme Court to heel.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of bring to heel (to order a dog to walk close behind you)
See also: bring, heel


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