Dead Hand (Noun)
Meaning 1
Real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation).
Classification
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
The oppressive influence of past events or decisions.
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- The city's historic downtown area was struggling to revitalize due to the dead hand of outdated zoning regulations that had been in place for decades.
- The company was still reeling from the dead hand of poor management decisions made by the previous CEO, which had led to significant financial losses.
- The country's economy was being held back by the dead hand of corrupt politicians who had looted the treasury and stifled innovation.
- The family business was being suffocated by the dead hand of tradition, with outdated practices and processes that hindered its ability to compete in the modern market.
- The community was still feeling the dead hand of a long-forgotten racial divide, which continued to influence social and economic outcomes for people of color.