over a barrel

It said the "unacceptable outcome" followed a pattern seen at other opencast sites, where councils were "held over a barrel", facing huge costs if companies ultimately decided to walk away.

In sum, the deep state and the rules of supply and demand might have him over a barrel on this one.

The Freedom Caucus has McCarthy over a barrel.

What this week also showed is that politicians who would draw things out have plenty of incentive to do so, particularly when their opponent is over a barrel.

“Don’t get me wrong, Musk is a thin-skinned erratic hypocrite, but he’s got us over a barrel,” she added, until another social media platform comes along to rival it.