full nelson

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

full′ nel′son, 

1. Sport a hold in which a wrestler, from behind the opponent, passes each arm under the corresponding arm of the opponent and locks the arms at the fingers or wrists on the back of the opponent's neck. Cf. nelson.

• 1920–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

full nelson noun

1. a wrestling hold, illegal in amateur wrestling, in which a wrestler places both arms under an opponent's arms from behind and exerts pressure with both palms on the back of the neck
   Compare half-nelson