DEAD HAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dead hand mean? 

• DEAD HAND (noun)
  The noun DEAD HAND has 2 senses:

1. real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation)

2. the oppressive influence of past events or decisions

  Familiarity information: DEAD HAND used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEAD HAND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

dead hand; mortmain

Hypernyms ("dead hand" is a kind of...):

immovable; real estate; real property; realty (property consisting of houses and land)

Domain category:

corp; corporation (a business firm whose articles of incorporation have been approved in some state)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The oppressive influence of past events or decisions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

dead hand; dead hand of the past; mortmain

Hypernyms ("dead hand" is a kind of...):

influence (a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc)

 Context examples 

I told him that that must be good-bye, as the coffin had to be prepared; so he went back and took her dead hand in his and kissed it, and bent over and kissed her forehead.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)