have (someone) eating out of (one's) hand
To have great influence over someone. If you want to have someone eating out of your hand, flattery always helps.
have someone eating out of your hand
or have someone eating out of the palm of your hand
If you have someone eating out of your hand or have them eating out of the palm of your hand, they will do whatever you want because they like or admire you so much. No one can handle the press as she can and she usually has them eating out of her hand by the time they leave. He is a silver-tongued lawyer, famed for having juries eat out of the palm of his hand. Note: The image here is of an animal which is tame and will take food from a person's hand.
have someone eating out of your hand
have someone completely under your control. 1987 Bernard MacLaverty The Great Profundo One of my main difficulties is that I'm not good with an audience. There's guys can come out and have a crowd eating out of their hand right away with a few jokes.