apron strings

American  

plural noun

1. the strings on an apron, used for securing it around one's person.

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idioms

1. tie to someone's apron strings, to make or be dependent on or dominated by someone.

   He has never married because he's tied to his mother's apron strings.

apron strings More Idioms  

1. see tied to someone's apron strings.

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Etymology

Origin of apron strings

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

This cutting of the apron strings sometimes comes early: Certain seal moms spend as little as three days nursing their pups before ducking beneath the chilly ocean waves, never to return.

From New York Times • May 1, 2021

How do I manage my mother’s anxieties while disentangling myself from her apron strings?

From Slate • Dec. 2, 2019

"That was puberty age and they were becoming a bit more strong-willed and not tied to the apron strings," he told police.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2018

If you’re trying to cut the apron strings, why work with your mother?

From Washington Post • Aug. 31, 2017

A large woman, barely done tying her apron strings, goes running to the cabin John and Ann Laydon share with two other families.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone