Answers:
It probably comes from rule of thumb...the size of stick permissible to beat you wife with in days gone by, thus under the thumb would be under the discipline of the stick holder.
the Rolling Stones!
This means to be under control, There are numerous statements from where this came from but some beleive it is from when workmen were at lathes, or other machine and used their thumbs to control the levers, switched etc etc...
Allen B is quite right.
About two centuries ago, it was permissible to beat your wife with a stick, provided it was no thicker than your thumb.
That's why the skinny men got the best women!
I agree about the "rule of thumb" relating to the thickness of a stick with which a man could beat his wife, but I don't think that "under the thumb" relates to this. I think it is more likely to be referring to gladiators being granted life or death, by the spectators signalling with their thumbs. If you think about it, the gladiators were literally in the arena below them.
Hold a tight fist and you will notice that the THUMB closes all around the other fingers.
allen is right. it comes from a very old law that stated u could beat ur wife with anything as long as it was 'under a thumb' in thickness...personally thin its a daft law, but hey!! i love it how its nowdays switched to describe how a WOMAN has control of her man. lol...ironic if u think abt it
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