what does it mean to have someone wrapped around your finger
If I had to judge, I'd say the idiom'south popularity persists because the smallest finger in the hand is the most vulnerable-looking one, the one nosotros apply the to the lowest degree and the one we pay least attending to. Consequently, a woman who wraps somebody (the "victim" is usually a homo) effectually her trivial finger, suggests that despite her seemingly meek nature and small physical forcefulness, she is powerful enough to curve and dispense a man at her will.
The American Heritage provides this information on the idiom
Twist around one'south finger
Also, turn or wind or wrap around one'south finger. Exert complete control over someone, practise as one likes with someone, as in Alison could twist only nigh every homo effectually her finger.
This hyperbolic phrase dates from the mid-1800s.
The date, mid-1800s, seems to contradict the belief that this idiom originated in medieval England. Endeavor every bit I did, I could non find whatsoever confirmation. Although Wikipedia supports the falconry parentage, it fails to provide whatever specific dates.
Trivia: Interestingly, the little finger in medieval times was known as the auricularis, or 'ear-finger' from its use for cleaning the ears.
The Senses in Late Medieval England
I was finding information technology hard to find whatever recorded show before the belatedly 19th century, and then I changed my criteria. I searched for the terms: around her finger, round her little finger, around her pinkie, and round her finger and limited the time scale betwixt 1750 and 1920.
Ngram Results
And came up with the following:
1826 Head-pieces and tail-pieces, by a travelling artist by Leitch Ritchie
She was the calorie-free of her begetter's eye, and the pride of his heart, and so complete was her rule over his affection, that, in the mutual phrase, she could take turned' the old homo round her finger.
1780 The Boondocks and Country Magazine, Or Universal Repository of Knowledge, Instruction and Entertainment
<<
About of the limbs of law practice everything in a jiffy; but ask what they mean, and they would be as much puzzled, [...] if such gibberish were confined to hackney clerks of twelve shillings a week, we should not notice it (...) just the misfortune is, by degrees it has found its way into more polite assemblies, and a lady of taste was heard to say the other evening at the Pantheon, that she could turn Sir William B_____ round her finger in a jiffy . If people of sense or common understanding, would reflect one moment on the folly of using words and phrases they could not explain, they would certainly explode them, and shun those who used them, as being affected with a exact contamination, ...
Decision and Summary
Non one extract mentioned falconry in whatever way, shape or form; due east.g., "Like a falconer, she would air current him ..." Which sounds awfully suspicious, such a strong and powerful simile (and metaphor) must have been written at least once. And yet I didn't find any evidence to support the theory that the idiom derives from a falconer'south exercise.
If we revisit the Wikipedia page on falconry we acquire
In the Britain and parts of Europe, falconry probably reached its zenith in the 17th century, but before long faded, particularly in the late 18th and 19th centuries, as firearms became the tool of selection for hunting (this likely took place throughout Europe and Asia in differing degrees). Falconry in the UK had a resurgence in the late 19th, early on 20th century during which fourth dimension a number of falconry books were published. [emphasis mine]
Despite having institute prove that the idiom existed before the mid-19th century (1790), I found none dated dorsum to the 17th century or earlier. If this idiom really had origins in Medieval England, as a few have proposed, in that location would be some trace in 15th or 16th century English literature. I constitute none.
I put forrard that the metaphor began life as "to wind/turn/twist/ someone circular one's finger" the describing word, piffling, was added subsequently as a flourishing touch.
Furthermore, I suggest a more logical and simple illustration equally to how this idiom arose. When a immature lady sees a homo that fascinates or intrigues her, 1 of the tell-tale signs that betrays her involvement is the twirling of a lock of hair usually effectually her index finger. The lilliputian finger'due south position and its limited dexterity makes this action highly unlikely.
Image from wikiHow
Several mod online guides confirm this hidden behaviour:
However, lilliputian with pilus is too another non-exact body language that tin signify different things in different situations. For example, hair twirling tin can signify involvement and want. Women in particular are noted for hair twirling when talking to someone that they're attracted to
Body Language Skillful
Wrapping the hair around a finger is a gesture that mimics the innocence of childhood and is often used as a flirtation device.
Net Places
"Twisting" in 19th century
1819-1820 The Atheneum, or, Spirit of the English Magazines
1813 Memoirs of Prince Alexy Haimatoff
UPDATE 11/11/2014
One of the earliest versions of the idiom that mentions her little finger is from a collection of book reviews from a journal called Saturday Review: Politics, Literature, Science and Art The commodity is dated December 25 1869, which more or less confirms The American Heritage's—the mid-1800s. The book being reviewed is Guy Vernon by Mrs. Woulfe
Hither basil Ricketts, sees a certain Miss Julia Manners, who is of class bewitchingly lovely, as they all are in this book: falls in dear with her at outset sight, as she with him; subsequently the tertiary interview proposes, is accustomed, calls her "dear" and "darling," folds her to his heart, and kisses her; which is pretty well for a virtuous English girl left for a few weeks to her ain guidance by a male parent who idolizes her, and whom she has no reason for deceiving, seeing that she can wind him circular her pinkie at her will. But the author apparently thinks that a few kisses and sweet words from a human being to a woman are more potent than the restraints of reason, modesty, or truth; ....
The expression "at her will" expresses clearly the influence and "power" Julia Manners holds over her father, who, the journalist observes, worships her similar an idol.
However, the earliest version I found is dated 1819 from The helpmate of Lammermoor by Sir Walter Scott.
I thank ye, Craigie, and pledge you—I run into aught confronting it but the father or the girl taking a tantrum, and I am told the female parent can wind them both circular her little finger.
Information technology appears highly unlikely an older version of the idiom with the embellishment—her little finger—exists.
UPDATE 07 May 2017
The aforementioned Wikipedia table which claimed the idiom "wrapped circular his/her pinkie" derived from falconry, has since been updated. The reference to the idiom has been deleted, alongside "hawked information technology up", and "nether his/her thumb". None of these idioms had citations that confirmed their linkage.
Today the table looks similar this:
rosenblumexplas1964.blogspot.com
Source: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/185828/why-is-it-have-someone-wrapped-around-your-little-finger
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