dead hand

noun3

1. •
   A residual undesirable influence from the past.

   • I'll leave the very bad news to the end as it's outside the industry's control. Yes, the dead hand of the Department for Transport (DfT) still rules! — 2021
2. •
   A hand that is dealt but not used during a card game.
3. •
   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.