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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 27 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!