[f. WHIP sb. 1.]
1. The hand in which the whip is held in driving or riding; the driver’s or rider’s right hand.
1809. Christian, Blackstone’s Comm., I. 74. The law of the road, viz. that horses and carriages should … keep the left side of the road, and consequently … pass each other on the whip-hand.
1838. Bentley’s Misc., IV. 601. A thick gold ring on the little finger of his whip-hand.
1887. Sir R. H. Roberts, In the Shires, ii. 27. Raising his whip-hand, which brings the cavalcade to a halt.
2. fig. phr. To have the whip-hand of: to have the advantage or upper hand of, control. Hence in similar phr.
1680. Alsop, Mischief Impos., ii. 8. When once they are got into the Saddle, and have the whip-hand of the poor Laity.
1690. Child, Disc. Trade, Pref. C 8. Before the Dutch get too much the whip-hand of us.
1694. Echard, Plautus, 204. A silent Woman has always the whip Hand of a Talker.
1849. De Quincey, Engl. Mail-Coach, Wks. 1890, XIII. 307. In the art of conversation,… he admitted that I had the whip-hand of him.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., viii. 200. He has a secret of her own, and this gives him the whip-hand of her.
1884. Rider Haggard, Dawn, xiv. For the sake of my own safety, I dare not abandon the whip hand I have of you.
