force someone's hand

US /fɔrs ˈsʌm.wʌnz hænd/
UK /fɔrs ˈsʌm.wʌnz hænd/
"force someone's hand" picture
1.

to make someone do something they do not want to do, or to make them do it sooner than they had intended

:
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The company's financial difficulties forced their hand, and they had to announce layoffs earlier than planned.
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I didn't want to confront him, but his constant delays forced my hand.
:
give someone a handplay into someone's handssomeone's hands are tiedforceforcefulnessforcefullend someone a helping hand