steady hand on the tiller

steady hand on the tiller

Full control over a situation. I felt comfortable knowing that even during this difficult time, he had a steady hand on the tiller.

See also: hand, on, steady, tiller

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

a steady hand on the tiller

BRITISH

If you have a steady hand on the tiller, you are keeping control of a situation in a calm and reliable way. `If ever there was an urgent need for a steady hand on the tiller, it is now,' said one European diplomat. Note: Adjectives such as firm can be used instead of steady. He was convinced that the job of those in power was to keep a firm hand on the tiller guiding the course of national development. Note: In a boat, the tiller is the handle with which you steer.

See also: hand, on, steady, tiller

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012