English

Alternative forms

• wear the pants (US)

Verb

wear the trousers ‎(third-person singular simple present wears the trousers, present participle wearing the trousers, simple past wore the trousers, past participle worn the trousers)

1. (Britain) To be the dominant partner in a relationship.
   • 1988, John Rowan, Windy Dryden, Innovative Therapy in Britain‎:

     His mother wore the trousers, and father, a gentle man who worked in local government, was not ambitious enough for her.

Synonyms

• rule the roost

Translations