dead hand

American  

noun

Law.

1. mortmain.

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dead hand British  

noun

1. an oppressive or discouraging influence or factor

   the dead hand of centralized control

2. law a less common word for mortmain

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Example Sentences

Thus, to the “tyranny”—to the “dead hand”—of gold, he says good riddance.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The levers you pull don't just connect to something – the dead hand of the Treasury can't simply control economic growth."

From BBC

“You can pry ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ from my cold, dead hands,” Ruffin said with a bright smile and one of the many giggles she unleashed during our long conversation.

From Salon

She concluded: "It's uneven, disjointed, the plot makes no real sense - and the dead hand of corporate America weighs heavily upon it."

From BBC

Man, you couldn't pry me out my house with your cold, dead hands.

From Salon