dead hand
Grave's lingering grip
Dead hand refers to the persisting influence of the past on present affairs—especially through laws, customs, or institutions that outlive their makers.
The phrase evokes a corpse's grip that won't release: the dead hand of tradition, the dead hand of regulation.
In property law, the rule against perpetuities limits how long a dead hand can control inheritance.
- perpetuitiesEndless legal continuances
- lifelessDevoid of animation
- poison pillDefense against hostile takeovers
- corporate raiderHostile acquisition specialist
- gripSecure manual hold
cold · antitakeover · real property · deceased · corporations · inalienability · defensive measures · legal doctrine · charitable trust · cadaverous · primogeniture · influence · skin · pale · estate · control · iron grip · clutch
- card termsace, pair, flush, king of hearts, straight
- Nuclearnuclear reactor, atomic bomb, nuclear energy, atomic bombs, uranium
- nuclear waratomic bomb, nuclear holocaust, nuclear arsenal, hydrogen bomb, ICBM
- poison pillsshareholder rights
- Nuclear Armsnuclear arms, nukes, atom bomb, nuclear warheads, hydrogen bombs
- nuclear weaponsatomic bomb, atom bomb, warheads, hydrogen bomb, a-bomb
dead handvital force
Animating principle of life
life force · animating spirit · new blood · helping hand · invisible hand
hand, handy, hands, handful, deaden, handfuls, deadened, dead, deadening