Some people are able to control others. This could happen because one person really likes another person, because they want to make a good impression, or because they have been manipulated by the other person. When one person is under another person’s control, sometimes it doesn’t take much for the controlled person to do just what the controlling person wants them to. In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about these controlling relationships.
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Expressions included in the learning materials
- A hashtag
- To be trending
- To have someone wrapped around your finger
- To help out
- To take advantage of someone or something
- To mother someone
- To sweet talk someone
- To come in handy
- To have someone eating out of the palm of your hand
- To get something out of it
- To milk it
- To make up for something
- To have someone in your back pocket
- To play favourites
Sample transcript
Harp: Today we’re doing a Catch Word episode, and that’s where we look at some expressions, we explain them, and we give you examples.
Maura: That is right. And today we’re going to look at expressions that have to do with controlling other people.
Harp: Yes. Expressions related to controlling someone.
Maura: It doesn’t sound very nice.
Harp: It doesn’t.
Maura: But we actually have three expressions for you that you can use to talk about when one person can control another person.
Harp: Yes. And our first expression today is to have someone wrapped around your finger.
Maura: To have someone wrapped around your finger.
Harp: Yes. This is a long one, so I’m gonna say it one more time: to have someone wrapped around your finger.
Maura: And if you have a person wrapped around your finger, this means that you can get the other person to do whatever you want.
Harp: Yes. When you have someone wrapped around your finger, it means you have control over them.
Maura: Right. You can manipulate the person and get them to do things that you want them to do or get them to act in a certain way.
Harp: Or get them to buy you what you want.
Maura: Oftentimes, when one person has someone wrapped around their finger, they have a relationship and the person who is being in controlled really likes the person who’s controlling them.
Harp: Yeah, exactly. It’s one of the reasons why they do things for the person, because they like them.
Maura: It makes sense. If you like a person, you wanna help them out, but sometimes if you notice that someone is helping you a lot, you could get them to do more and more things for you and so then you have someone wrapped around your finger.
Harp: Exactly.
Maura: So this expression can be used in both ways. You could say, “I have someone wrapped around my finger,” which means I’m controlling them. You could also say, “He has me wrapped around his finger,” which means you’re admitting that this other person can control you and you do whatever this other person says.
Harp: Yeah. And you could use it in that way if you really like someone and you’re willing to do something for them.
Maura: Because sometimes you even notice when you’re doing all of these crazy things for another person that you might not normally do.
Harp: Exactly. Like maybe you’re washing the dishes and you hate washing the dishes, normally.
Maura: But because this person has you wrapped around their finger, you do whatever they say.
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast