B1 — Intermediate👁️ Body Parts
Avere le mani legate
To have one's hands tied
Literal Translation
"To have one's hands tied"
What it means
To have one's hands tied. Expresses inability to act due to external constraints, rules, or authority. Very common in professional and bureaucratic contexts.
Example in context
"Vorrei aiutarti, ma ho le mani legate — è una decisione della direzione."
"I'd like to help you, but my hands are tied — it's management's decision."
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