apron strings
plural noun
the strings on an apron, used for securing it around one's person.
RELATED CONTENT
For All “Intents and Purposes” vs. “Intensive Purposes”Both for all intents and purposes and for all intensive purposes are widely used to mean “for all practical purposes” or “virtually.” But which one is correct? The standard idiom is for all intents and purposes, not for all intensive purposes, though if you were to say these two forms out loud it might be hard to tell the difference between the two. For all …
What Is The Difference Between A Philharmonic And A Symphony?A philharmonic is a symphony orchestra or the group that supports it. A symphony is a large orchestra. An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including strings, woodwinds, brass instruments, and percussion instruments. So, philharmonic and symphony orchestra are synonymous. Philharmonic comes from Greek words meaning ‘love of harmony’ and in this instance is a colloquial shortening of “philharmonic society” or “philharmonic orchestra.” The term only dates back to …
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
Idioms
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.
Origin of apron strings
First recorded in 1535–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for apron strings
Idioms and Phrases with apron strings
apron strings
see tied to someone's apron strings.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.