bound hand and foot

bind (one) hand and foot

1. Literally, to tie one's hands and feet together. In the movie, the villain bound all the security guards hand and foot so that they couldn't sound the alarm.
2. By extension, to cause one to feel trapped in a daunting situation. Yes, I have a degree now, but this institution has bound me hand and foot to debt that I won't be able to pay off for years.
See also: and, bind, foot, hand

bound hand and foot

1. Literally, having one's hands and feet tied together. In the movie, the security guards were all bound hand and foot so that they couldn't sound the alarm.
2. By extension, feeling trapped in a daunting situation. I graduated from college and found myself bound hand and foot to debt that I won't be able to pay off for years.
See also: and, bound, foot, hand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bound hand and foot

with hands and feet tied up. The robbers left us bound hand and foot. We remained bound hand and foot until the police found us and untied us.
See also: and, bound, foot, hand
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

bound hand and foot

Wholly obligated, unable to free oneself. For example, These rules have us bound hand and foot; we can't even discuss the matter. This term transfers the literal meaning, having one's hands and feet tied and therefore unable to move, to legal, moral, or social obligations. The expression dates from the 10th century a.d.
See also: and, bound, foot, hand
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

bound hand and foot

If someone or something is bound hand and foot by something, that thing prevents them from acting freely or doing what they want. These people are bound hand and foot by tradition. In a land bound hand and foot by petty regulations and bureaucracy, he saw that there were thousands of deals just waiting to be done.
See also: and, bound, foot, hand
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • bind
  • bind (one) hand and foot
  • bind someone hand and foot
  • bind/tie somebody hand and foot
  • tie (one) hand and foot
  • literally
  • be scratching (one's) head
  • be scratching your head
  • big boned
  • cover one's tracks
References in periodicals archive
POLICE probing what they initially believed was a triplesuicide at Beachy Head have launched a murder investigation -after the chilling discovery that one of the bodies had been bound hand and foot, and stabbed to death.
Cliff fall man found bound