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I have a question on whether this is grammatically correct :

.Imagine breaking the door of the man with the hand that feeds you.

The intention is along the lines of "That man feeds you. Why are you biting his hand?"

Does the above accurately capture that, or does it imply you're using the hand that feeds you to break down the door?

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    This is called an attachment ambiguity, and is inherent in the structure. With the hand that feeds you could be an instrumental phrase meaning 'use the hand that feeds you to break the door' in context. But I don't think that was the intended meaning of the author. The other meaning identifies the man as the man with the hand that feeds you, which seems more relevant, if still weirdly metaphorical -- men with breakable doors and feeding hands?
    – John Lawler
    Commented Apr 21, 2021 at 20:59
  • 'the man whose hand feeds you' would make it clearer.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Apr 22, 2021 at 7:34
  • The hand! that feeds you would be better. You are several layers from that requiring more inference of the reader.
    – Elliot
    Commented Sep 5 at 4:09

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John Lawler commented:

This is called an attachment ambiguity, and is inherent in the structure. With the hand that feeds you could be an instrumental phrase meaning 'use the hand that feeds you to break the door' in context. But I don't think that was the intended meaning of the author. The other meaning identifies the man as the man with the hand that feeds you, which seems more relevant, if still weirdly metaphorical -- men with breakable doors and feeding hands?

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