keep someone on a string Definition

string
noun

1. Thin cord, or a piece of this.

Thesaurus: strand, fibre, rope, cord, twine.
2. Any of a set of pieces of stretched wire, catgut or other material that can vibrate to produce sound in various musical instruments such as the guitar, violin, piano, etc. See also stringed.
3a. The orchestral instruments in which sound is produced in this way, usually the violins, violas, cellos and double basses collectively;

Form: strings
3b. The players of these instruments.

Form: strings
4. A group of similar things.

Example: a string of racehorses
5. A series or succession.

Example: a string of disasters
Thesaurus: sequence, succession, procession, chain, line, order, series, train.
6. computing.
A group of characters that a computer can handle as a single unit.
7. One of several pieces of taut gut, etc that are used in sports rackets.
8. A set of things that are threaded together, eg beads, pearls, etc.
9. Undesirable conditions or limitations.

Example: no strings attached
Form: strings
10. Any cord-like thing, eg a nerve or tendon.
(US)
11. A shoelace.

verb strung, stringing

1. To fit or provide with a string or strings.
2. To tie with string.
3. To thread (eg beads) onto a string.
4. To remove the stringy parts from (a bean pod, etc).
5. To extend something in a string.

Example: strung the onions

Derivative: stringer
noun

See separate entry.

Derivative: stringed
adj

See separate entry.

Idiom: keep someone on a string (get someone on a string, have someone on a string)

To control them or make them dependent, especially emotionally.
Example: He'll do anything for her ― she's got him on a string

Idiom: pull strings

colloq
To use one's influence, or relationships with influential people, to get something done.

Idiom: pull the strings

colloq
To be the ultimate, although not usually apparent, controller of a situation or person.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon streng.

Phrasal Verb: string someone along

To keep them in a state of deception or false hope.

Phrasal Verb: string someone out or up

To cause them to become tense, nervous or on edge. See also strung-out.

Phrasal Verb: string something out

To extend or stretch it in a long line.To make it last.

Phrasal Verb: string someone up

To kill them by hanging.See string someone out above.

Phrasal Verb: string something up

To hang, stretch or tie it with string, or as if with string. See also strung-up.