have someone by the balls
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Have someone at one's mercy, as in You have to pay up—they've got you by the balls. The balls here allude to the male genitals. [Vulgar slang; early 1900s]
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Words nearby have someone by the balls
havers, haversack, Haversian canal, Haversian system, haversine, have someone by the balls, have someone's ear, have someone's hide, have someone's number, have something against, have something coming
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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