call the shots
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.58 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "In today's health care system, insurance companies call the shots. They pick whom they cover and how they cover them. They can cut off your benefits when you need your coverage the most. They are in charge."
- "Myanmar's Shan state, which borders both China and Thailand, is the wild wild east. And in many parts of the state, it's well-armed ethnic militias, not Myanmar's military, who call the shots."
- "The conventional wisdom in Washington is that Iran’s elections are insignificant. Regardless of who wins, the argument goes, in the end, it’s the supreme leader who calls the shots."
- "Israel’s strikes on Monday were launched just hours after Trump had called the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to urge him not to retaliate immediately for an Iranian missile attack on Sunday night, with the US president saying: “I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu]^([sic]) doesn’t call the shots.”"
Etymology
From sports.
Usage
- American usage