force hand

Meaning

1. force sb's hand

   to make sb do sth that they do not want to do or make them do it sooner than they had intended

In the movies · 5

• You force my hand.Poor Things2023
• Oh, okay. You gotta force his hand.Crazy, Stupid, Love.2011
• We have the opportunity to force their hand.The Martian2015
• Now, damn it, you force my hand and then you question the way I handle it.Gone Baby Gone2007
• We roused enough of the rabble to force Cameron's hand on a referendum, should he win the election.Brexit: The Uncivil War2019

From the same entry

• bring into force
• come into force
• force of habit
• the forces of nature
• in force
• join forces
• a spent force
• force the issue
• force the pace
• force down throat
• force back
• force down