English Reference
Idiom idiom

lord it over


To behave as if one is in control of; to make a display of having an advantage over or superiority to.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He likes to lord it over his younger brother.

CONTEXTUAL

She got a promotion and now she tries to lord it over everyone in the office.

COMPLEX

Despite his lack of actual authority, he continued to lord it over his colleagues, creating a tense and resentful atmosphere in the department.


From lord over.


Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    lord of gingerbread

    One who is showy but lacking substance or real authority.

  2. 02

    lord of the flies

    a ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.

  3. 03

    Lord willing and the creek don't rise

    Barring unforeseen circumstances.

Last updated August 10, 2026