get (someone) in a headlock
To restrain someone by wrapping one's arm around someone's head or neck. Commonly used in wrestling. My stupid brother is always coming up behind me and getting me in a headlock, just because he's bigger than me. As soon as I got the bully in a headlock, the teacher came along and broke things up. You're such a cry-baby, Petey. I only got you in a headlock for, like, a second.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.