nail someone to the wall
Pin with accountability
To nail someone to the wall is to hold them accountable in a way they cannot escape, often through confrontation or punishment: The prosecutor nailed him to the wall with the financial records.
The image suggests pinning someone in place so they face consequences.
A variant, nail someone's hide to the wall, emphasizes punitive intent.
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- hold accountableRequire someone to justify actions
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- responsibilityState of being answerable
penalty · liability · accusation · caught red-handed · dead to rights · confrontation · put on the spot · cross-examination · under the microscope · scrutiny · consequence · face the music · hyperbole · imagery · answerability · denunciation · take to task · symbolism
nail someone to the walllet off the hook
let slide · turn a blind eye · look the other way · forgive · pardon
nail someone to the walldefend
Protect from harm
stick up for · have someone's back · protect · shield · support
nail someone to the wallhandle with kid gloves
Treat very carefully
coddle · pamper · baby · mollycoddle · spare the rod