like a rag doll

like a rag doll

Helplessly and without any control over how one is being overpowered, thrashed around, etc. Likened to the floppiness of a rag doll, which is a doll made out of cloth. He tumbled down the hill like a rag doll before coming to rest in a heap down below. The mountain lion took the poor animal in its jaws and shook it around like a rag doll.
See also: doll, like, rag
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

like a rag doll

If someone is like a rag doll, they have no strength and cannot control their movements, often because they are being treated violently. He picked the boy up and shook him like a rag doll. I saw a dog throwing a girl around like a rag doll. Note: A `rag doll' is a child's doll made of cloth.
See also: doll, like, rag
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • kewpie doll
  • rag doll
  • soldier rag
  • living doll, a
  • the rag trade
  • doll up
  • boiling point
  • Barbz
  • babbling idiot
  • idiot
References in periodicals archive
A TERRIER owner has been fined after his pet attacked another dog and "threw it around like a rag doll" outside a Newcastle supermarket.
Owner of staffie fined after dog attacks pet
A staffie owner has been fined after his pet attacked another dog and "threw it around like a rag doll" outside a Newcastle supermarket.
Dog owner's horror after pet was thrown 'around like a rag doll' by Staffie outside supermarket; Michael McStay's Straffordshire Bull Terrier had escaped his Benwell home and attacked another dog
A PARACHUTIST was last night fighting for life after she plummeted "like a rag doll" from 15,000ft and landed on a car yesterday.
Parachute fall horror
Jenny told the Sunday ECHO: "The dog came out of nowhere and just grabbed Izzy and started ragging her around like a rag doll.
VICTIM OF DOG ATTACK HORROR; Paula leaps off mobility scooter as 'Pit Bull' savages pet Izzy
A MAN threw his partner around "like a rag doll" and bit her nose after using a hammer to smash his way into her Llanrwst home, a court heard yesterday.
Partner thrown 'like a rag doll'
The dogs' owner was unable to drag them away as they clamped their jaws on Broagan and shook her like a rag doll.
Mum and dad at Broagan's bedside after surgery for dog maul horror; ORDEAL OF SAVAGED SCHOOLGIRL'S PARENTS
A PREGNANT woman was sent flying 'like a rag doll' when a driver hit her on a pedestrian crossing.
PREGNANT WOMAN HIT BY CAR ON CROSSING; Accident victim escaped serious injury
She is just treating her like a rag doll, the way she dragged her across the mat."
NURSERY NURSE DRAGGED TOT, COURT IS TOLD
He was just like a rag doll, he wasn't moving at all.
PUSHCHAIR NIGHTMARE; Moment before crash that killed tots
A PET spaniel was shaken "like a rag doll" by a Staffordshire terrier-type dog which refused to let go, a court heard yesterday.
Spaniel shaken 'like a rag doll' Dog who attacked pet after escaping could be put down
She said her pet was thrown 20ft in the air and then tossed around "like a rag doll".
This is a nice housing estate full of children ...now we're not safe; Mum tells of dog horror
He claims he described to deputy head Chris Johnson how the girl was thrown "like a rag doll" by teacher John Muldoon, who is now in jail.
KERELAW COVER-UP; EXCLUSIVE BOSS FORCED OUT FOR EXPOSING ABUSE
Some hefty teenage lad throwing you around like a rag doll to Strip The Willow, the entire gym hall thick with the aroma of pubescent, sweating 15-year-olds.
ANNA SMITH: Country dancing
A judge has defended his decision not to jail a man caught on camera violently swinging a one-year-old child around like a rag doll.
[0] Cruelty man let free
A mother spoke of how 'let down' she felt yesterday after a man who was caught on video swinging her one-year-old daughter around like a rag doll walked free from court.
Man filmed tormenting baby girl