UPPER HAND

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does upper hand mean? 

• UPPER HAND (noun)
  The noun UPPER HAND has 1 sense:

1. position of advantage and control

  Familiarity information: UPPER HAND used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UPPER HAND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Position of advantage and control

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

upper hand; whip hand

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

favorable position; favourable position; superiority (the quality of being at a competitive advantage)

 Context examples 

And then, mates, us that has the boats, I reckon, has the upper hand.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

We got on them before they could load, and they stood to it like men; but we had the upper hand of them, and in five minutes it was all over.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The giant made the attempt but he could not get over the tree, and remained hanging in the branches, so that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He flew at me with his knife, and I had to grasp him twice, and got a cut over the knuckles, before I had the upper hand of him.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was at first mere instinct, but once I had it in my hands and found it fast, curiosity began to get the upper hand, and I determined I should have one look through the cabin window.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The little man had been sitting there fishing, and unluckily the wind had tangled up his beard with the fishing-line; a moment later a big fish made a bite and the feeble creature had not strength to pull it out; the fish kept the upper hand and pulled the dwarf towards him.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Squalling was the word for it; Pew's anger rose so high at these objections till at last, his passion completely taking the upper hand, he struck at them right and left in his blindness and his stick sounded heavily on more than one.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)