putty in someone's hands

English

Alternative forms

• putty in someone's fingers, putty in the hands of someone

Etymology

A metaphor likening the easy malleability of putty to the easy manipulability of the person. First use appears c. 1867.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

putty in someone's hands (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic, of a person) One who is readily manipulated or controlled by another person; a puppet.
   • 1894 May 27, Harold Frederic, “Marsena”, in New York Times, retrieved 27 July 2010, page 19:

     Why, Marseny, here, he wan't no more than so much putty in her hands.

   • 1941 December 11, “Caroline Chatfield Says”, in St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 27 July 2010, page 17:

     So long as she behaves in a way to keep his love and respect he's putty in her hands.

   • 2007 August 5, Kitty Empire, “Nothing compares 2 Prince”, in guardian.co.uk, retrieved 27 July 2010:

     [H]e clocks on at 8.30 pm with the opening guitar notes of his most famous song, ‘Purple Rain’. Everyone is instantly putty in his hands.

Usage notes

• Sometimes used to describe a submissive male in a relationship with a domineering woman.

Synonyms

• pushover, wimp, wuss

Translations

a person easily manipulated

• French: marionnette (fr) f
• Hungarian: báb (hu), úgy táncol, ahogy fütyülnek (neki) (literally, someone dances the way someone else whistles to him/her)
• Italian: pappamolla (it) m
• Portuguese: joguete nas mãos de m

See also

• eat out of someone's hand
• wrap around one's little finger