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Phrase(s): strain at the leash
1. Lit. [for a dog] to pull very hard on its leash. • It’s hard to walk Fido, because he is always straining at the leash. • I wish that this dog would not strain at the leash. It’s very hard on me. 2. Fig. [for a person] to want to move ahead with things, aggressively and independently. • She wants to fix things right away. She is straining at the leash to get started. • Paul is straining at the leash to get on the job.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs