the dead hand of

Meaning

1. the dead hand of sth

   an influence that controls or restricts sth

   We need to free business from the dead hand of bureaucracy.

In the movies · 4

• Dead man s hand Mr WickJohn Wick: Chapter 42023
• They found the sap with my blood on it in the dead man's hand.Memento2000
• Says the one-handed dead guy.Ghosted2023
• I wish I'd been struck dead before lending hand to bring him here.Oliver Twist1948

From the same entry

• be dead and gone
• be a dead ringer for
• dead as a dodo
• dead as a doornail
• a dead duck
• dead in the water
• dead meat
• dead on arrival
• dead to the world
• over my dead body
• wouldn't be seen dead
• flog a dead horse