hold over someone's head

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Verb

hold over someone's head (third-person singular simple present holds over someone's head, present participle holding over someone's head, simple past and past participle held over someone's head)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To harp on; to remind continuously (especially of a misstep or defeat).

   I get one parking ticket and he holds it over my head for six months.

Related terms

• hold, hold over