the upper hand

the upper hand
AN ADVANTAGE, the edge, the whip hand, a lead, a head start, ascendancy, superiority, supremacy, sway, control, power, mastery, dominance, command.
upper

* * *

: the position of having power or being in control in a particular situation

He always has to have the upper hand.

— sometimes used figuratively

The infection was gaining the upper hand [=was becoming worse] and the patient's condition was deteriorating.

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Main Entry:upper hand

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • The upper hand — Upper Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • The Upper Hand — infobox television show name = The Upper Hand caption = format = Sitcom runtime = 30 minutes creator = starring = Joe McGann Diana Weston Honor Blackman Kellie Bright William Puttock country = United Kingdom network = ITV first aired = May 1,1990 …   Wikipedia

  • get the upper hand on — See: UPPER HAND …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • get the upper hand on — See: UPPER HAND …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • upper hand — the dominating or controlling position; advantage: to have the upper hand in the fight. [1475 85] * * * …   Universalium

  • upper hand — or[whip hand] {n.} Controlling power; advantage. * /In the third round the champion got the upper hand over his opponent and knocked him out./ * /The cowboy trained the wild horse so that he finally got the whip hand and tamed the horse./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • upper hand — or[whip hand] {n.} Controlling power; advantage. * /In the third round the champion got the upper hand over his opponent and knocked him out./ * /The cowboy trained the wild horse so that he finally got the whip hand and tamed the horse./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • upper hand — noun Date: 15th century mastery, advantage, control < was determined not to let the opposition get the upper hand > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Battle of the Upper Baetis — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of the Upper Baetis partof=the Second Punic War caption= date=211 BC place=Near Upper Baetis River casus= territory= result=Carthaginian victory combatant1=Carthage combatant2=Roman Republic… …   Wikipedia

  • To get the higher upper hand — Hand Hand (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h[ o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.] 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To have the higher upper hand — Hand Hand (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h[ o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.] 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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