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A weapons system, implemented by the Soviet Union and by the Russian Federation as the successor state thereof, capable of closing a strategic nuclear strike control loop in the absence of normal command and control channels, analogous in concept to a dead man's switch, in anticipation of a decapitation strike.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Near-synonyms: doomsday weapon, doomsday device, doomsday bomb
- Sometimes people glibly speak as if the Dead Hand were a thing of the past, but it is foolhardy to assume so.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: doomsday weapon, doomsday device, doomsday bomb
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: nuclear deterrent, deterrent
Any such system, whether the cardinal instance (the Soviet/Russian one) or another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The talk then turned darkly to the prospects for building a Dead Hand of their own.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A residual undesirable influence from the past.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A hand that is dealt but not used during a card game.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: card-games, games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A penalty where a player continues to take their turns, but can no longer win or make tile calls for the remainder of the hand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: board-games, games, mahjong
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
the oppressive influence of past events or decisions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dead hand of the past, mortmain
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: influence
real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mortmain
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: real property, real estate, realty, immovable
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
-
Chinese Mandarin:
停和
(tínghú)
— penalty in mahjong
-
Chinese Mandarin:
禁止和牌
(jìnzhǐ húpái)
— penalty in mahjong
-
Dutch:
dode hand
— penalty in mahjong
-
French:
main morte
— penalty in mahjong
-
Japanese:
和了放棄
— penalty in mahjong
-
Japanese:
アガリ放棄
— penalty in mahjong
-
Polish:
martwa ręka
— penalty in mahjong
-
Russian:
мертвая рука
(mertvaja ruka)
— penalty in mahjong
-
Spanish:
mano muerta
— penalty in mahjong
