# over a barrel

> English word · Prep_phrase

## Definitions
1. In a disadvantageous or helpless situation, especially one in which one may be controlled or victimized.

## Etymology
According to The Oxford English Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, the phrase possibly refers to the act of placing an individual who has been rescued from drowning over a barrel to allow their lungs to clear of water.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/over-a-barrel