hog-tie

verb

ˈhȯg-ˌtī How to pronounce hog-tie (audio)
ˈhäg-
hog-tied; hog-tying; hog-ties

transitive verb

1
: to tie together the feet of
2
: to make helpless : stymie
hog-tie scientific progress

Examples of hog-tie in a Sentence

their principals' inflexible demands virtually hog-tied the diplomats' efforts to negotiate a peace treaty
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Burns became combative and the officers hog-tied him and tased him 21 times, according to police records. Sarah Metz, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2024 Other cases of unreasonable, less-lethal force had to do with the way officers restrain people, sometimes hog-tying them. Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024 To heighten its effect, Carolyn shows extremely graphic photographs of Bunny’s corpse, which was hog-tied in the very same way as her own will be. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 12 June 2024 Listen to this article Last week, Trump posted a video featuring an image of President Biden hog-tied — with hands and feet bound together. Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2024 There was absolutely no reason to hog-tie the poor kid like that. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 May 2024 Between the outpouring of criticism over the hiring and the Washington Legislature's decision this year to bar police from hog-tying suspects — a legal change made in response to Ellis' death — the family has more faith that he won't be forgotten, Ericksen said. CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024 On the truck's tailgate is a rendering meant to look as if the president is hog-tied and lying down in the bed of the pick-up. Fritz Farrow, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2024 The 49ers hog-tied him pretty well in their last Super Bowl matchup, until that fourth-quarter collapse. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hog-tie was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near hog-tie

Cite this Entry

“Hog-tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hog-tie. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hog-tie

verb
ˈhȯg-ˌtī,
ˈhäg-
1
: to tie together the feet of
hog-tie a calf
2
: to make helpless
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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