Arm,Hand & Finger Idioms
all hands on deck
- everyone must work together because they have a lot of work to do
The captain called for all hands on deck as the storm became stronger and stronger.
all thumbs
- to be awkward and clumsy, a difficulty in fixing things or working with one's hands
The janitor is all thumbs and he can never fix something without making it worse.
arm in arm
- linked together by the arms
The couple walked along the beach arm in arm.
armpit of (somewhere)
- a place that is the ugliest or worst place in a particular area
The small city is the armpit of the country and nobody wants to go there to work.
at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
There were no tools at hand so I was unable to fix the stove.
at one's fingertips
- something is within one's reach
I always have my address book at my fingertips.
at the hands of (someone or something)
- something bad happens because of someone/something else
We were at the hands of nature as we waited for the severe windstorm to end.
bite one's nails
- to bite one's fingernails because you are nervous or anxious
The girl was biting her nails as she waited for the speech contest to begin.
bite the hand that feeds (someone)
- to harm someone who does good things for you
The girl will bite the hand that feeds her if she abuses the help that her parents give her.
bound hand and foot
- to have one's hands and feet tied up
The bank manager was bound hand and foot by the three bank robbers.
burn one`s fingers
- to suffer from a bad experience
My father burned his fingers in the stock market and he does not want to invest money there again.
by the handful
- by the amount that one can measure in one handful
We were able to pick strawberries by the handful in the small field.
cannot see one's hand in front of one's face
- to be unable to see very far (usually because of darkness or fog)
I could not see my hands in front of my face because of the heavy rain.
catch (someone) red-handed
- to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
The teacher caught the boys red-handed when they wrote on the school wall.
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar
- to be caught doing something wrong or illegal
The woman was caught with her hand in the cookie jar when we saw her stealing office supplies.
change hands
- to be sold or given to someone else
The small corner store has changed hands many times recently.
close at hand
- within reach, handy
There were no restaurants close at hand when we decided to go out for dinner.
closefisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My uncle is very closefisted with money.
come/go away empty-handed
- to return without anything, to go away without anything
We returned from the department store empty-handed.
control (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The manager controls the staff with an iron fist.
cost an arm and a leg
- to cost much money
My father paid an arm and a leg for his car and he loves driving it.
cross one`s fingers
- to cross two fingers of one hand to hope or wish for good luck
I crossed my fingers that I would get the job that I had applied for.
cross (someone's) palm with silver
- to give money to someone for a service
We crossed the hotel clerk's palm with silver to get a good room.
dirty one`s hands
- to hurt one's character or good name, to do a bad or shameful thing
The politician dirtied his hands when he became involved in the land deal.
dismiss/reject (something) out of hand
- to immediately decide not to accept an idea/argument/plan without thinking about it
The company dismissed the union's offer to settle the dispute out of hand.
do (something) by hand
- to do something with one's hands rather than a machine
The washing machine was broken so we had to do everything by hand.
eat out of (someone's) hand
- to do what someone else wants
I usually can get my supervisor to eat out of my hand.
elbow (someone) out of (something)
- to force or pressure someone out of something (an office or position)
The new manager got his new position by elbowing many others out of the way.
everything one can lay/get his or her hands on
- to use everything of a particular type that you can find
We used everything that we could lay our hands on to build the small storage building.
fall/get into the wrong hands
- something secret/dangerous is discovered by someone who may use it in a way that harms people
The government is being very careful that the new weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.
(someone's) fingerprints are on (something)
- an action/piece of work is typical of a particular person and they must have been involved in it
Many police officers believe that the criminal's fingerprints are on the recent crime.
a firm hand
- strict control of someone or something
The company uses a firm hand in managing their financial resources.
first hand
- to see/experience/learn about something by direct personal experience
We learned about the car accident first hand when we were driving down the highway.
fold one's hands
- to bring one's hands together so that they are palm to palm with the fingers interlocking
The students folded their hands and sat quietly on their chairs.
force (someone's) hand
- to force a person to reveal his or her plans/strategies/secrets
Our lawyer forced the hand of the opposing lawyer.
from hand to hand
- from one person to another person
We passed the dictionaries from hand to hand until everybody had one.
get one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
I am trying hard to get my hands on a new gas tank for the camping stove.
get out of hand
- to become difficult or impossible to control
The party got out of hand and the school authorities asked everyone to go home.
give one`s right arm (for someone or something)
- to give something of great value for someone or something
I would give my right arm to be able to go to Florida with my friend next month.
give (someone) a big hand
- to clap your hands for a speech/play/performance
The audience gave the musicians a big hand when they finished their performance.
give (someone) a free hand
- to allow someone to do something in the way that they choose
The senior managers give their employees a free hand to make their own work schedule.
give (someone) a hand with (something)
- to help someone with something
I gave my friend a hand when he moved into his new apartment.
give (someone or something) the thumbs up
- to be in favor of someone or something
The city gave the music festival organizers the thumbs up to have the music festival.
glad hand (someone)
- to give someone a friendly handshake, to give a warm greeting to someone
The politician spent all day glad handing the crowd at the shopping center.
go away empty-handed
- to depart with nothing
The woman went away empty-handed from the job interview.
go hand in hand (with something)
- to be closely related and must be considered together
The change in school hours goes hand in hand with the new policy of decreasing class sizes.
grease (someone`s) palm
- to pay a person for something done or given, to bribe someone
We had to grease the palm of the customs agent at the border to get our goods into the country.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
My sister's husband has a green thumb and has a very beautiful garden.
hand in glove (with someone)
- very close to someone
The new company policy goes hand in glove with the new manager.
hand in hand
- holding hands
The young couple walked hand in hand along the beach.
hand over fist
- fast and in large amounts
We have been making money hand over fist in our new store.
hand over hand
- moving one hand after the other
We climbed hand over hand up the side of the mountain.
(one's) hands are tied
- to be prevented from doing something
My hands are tied at the moment and I cannot help my friend.
hands down
- easily, unopposed
I won the election hands down for the position of class president. hands off (something)
- to leave something alone, to not interfere with something
I took a hands-off approach while dealing with the new employee.
hang on by one's fingernails
- to continue or manage to do something in a difficult situation
The man is continuing at his job but he is only hanging on by his fingernails.
hard on (someone's) heels
- to be following someone very closely
The dog was hard on the young boy's heels.
have a finger in the pie
- to be involved in something, to have a role in something
The waitress has a finger in the pie of the new restaurant.
have a free hand (to do something)
- to be granted complete control to do something
The teacher had a free hand to choose new textbooks for the course.
have a hand in (something)
- to be involved or play a part in (doing something)
The new teacher has a hand in the recent changes to the cafeteria rules.
have clean hands
- to be guiltless
The man claims to have clean hands in the affair regarding the stolen goods.
have one's finger in too many pies
- to be involved in too many things (so you cannot do any of them well)
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies and she is not able to do her job well at all.
have/keep one's finger on the pulse
- to be aware of recent changes/developments in a particular situation or activity
The manager has her finger on the pulse of the company and she knows what everybody is doing.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or organization
The sales clerk has had her hand in the till since she first started her job.
have one's hands full (with someone or something)
- to be busy/occupied with someone or something
The woman has her hands full with her three children.
have (someone's) blood on one's hands
- to be responsible for someone's death
The driver has the bicycle rider's blood on his hands.
have (someone) eating out of (the palm of) your hand
- someone is willing to do whatever you want them to do
The woman has her supervisor eating out of the palm of her hand.
have (someone or something) on one's hands
- to be burdened with someone or something
I do not want to have the cancellation of the party on my hands.
have (something) at one's fingertips
- something is nearby and ready to be used
I always have a dictionary at my fingertips when I am reading a book.
have (something) in one's hands
- to have control of or responsibility for something, to possess something
"When I have the documents in my hands I will call you."
heavy hand (of something)
- the great power that someone or something has over people
The heavy hand of the law is usually able to find those who commit a crime.
high-handed
- disregarding other's feelings, overbearing
The employees took a high-handed approach to the negotiations and they were not successful.
hold (someone's) hand
- to help someone in an unfamiliar or frightening situation
The man held his son's hand as they watched the scary movie.
in good hands
- in the safe and able care of someone
The stolen purse was in good hands after the police found it.
in hand
- under control
After several hours the riot police had the problems with the crowd in hand.
in hand
- in one's possession
The man arrived at the border crossing with much cash in hand.
in safe hands
- under the care of someone or an organization that you can trust and who will help you
The little girl is in safe hands now that she has arrived at her grandmother's house.
in the hands of (someone)
- a person or organization has control over something and decides what will happen
The court decision is now in the hands of the jury.
iron fist in a velvet glove
- kind and gentle on the outside but determined and ruthless on the inside
The government committee used an iron fist in a velvet glove to get the information that they wanted.
itchy/itching palm
- to be greedy, to have a desire for money/tips
The police officer had an itching palm and took much money from criminals before he was arrested.
join hands
- to hold hands so that one person is holding the hands of another person
All of the children joined hands as they crossed the road.
keep one's finger's crossed
- to wish for good luck
"I will keep my fingers crossed that you are able to get the new job that you have applied for."
keep one's hand in (something)
- to retain one's control of something, to practice something so that you do not forget it
The animal trainer is trying to keep his hand in his work even though he has retired.
keep one's hands off (someone or something)
- to refrain from touching/handling someone or something
The man was told to keep his hands off his neighbor's dog.
know (someone or something) like the back/palm of one's hand
- to know someone or something very well
The taxi driver knows the city like the back of his hand.
lay a finger on (someone or something)
- to touch or bother someone or something
The teacher told the students not to lay a finger on the new textbooks. lay one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
If I can lay my hands on a screwdriver I will fix the broken table.
leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands
- to give someone control of someone or something
I plan to leave the party organizing in my friend's hands.
lend (someone) a hand
- to help someone with something
I will ask my friend to lend me a hand when I move. lift/raise a finger/hand
- to do something to help someone
My niece will never lift a finger to help anyone. live from hand to mouth
- to live on very little money
My friend has been living from hand to mouth since he lost his job.
long arm of the law
- the police and laws are so powerful that no matter where you are you will be found and punished
The criminal was sought by the long arm of the law until he was finally captured.
lose one's grip
- to lose control of a situation
The young teacher seems to be losing her grip on the situation in her classroom.
Many hands make light work
- a lot of help will make a job seem easy
Many hands make light work and lots of people helped to make the job easy.
near at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
If there is a grocery store near at hand I will buy some milk. off one`s hands
- no longer in one's care or possession
I would like to get my old refridgerator off my hands so that I can buy a new one.
old hand at (doing something)
- someone who is experienced and very good at doing something
Our boss is an old hand at fixing computer problems.
on hand
- nearby, available, in one's possession
We did not have a screwdriver on hand so we could not fix the stove. on hand
- present
Our teacher is always on hand when we need someone to help us.
on the one hand
- from one side of an issue, from one point of view
On the one hand I like my supervisor but on the other hand sometimes I dislike her a lot.
on the other hand
- from another point of view, from the other side of an issue
I am very tired but on the other hand I must do some work tonight.
out of hand
- out of control
The party got out of hand so we called the police.
out of hand
- immediately and without consulting anyone, without delay
Our teacher dismissed our excuses out of hand.
palm off (something)
- to sell or give something away by pretending that it is more valuable than it is
I think that the man palmed off a television set that does not work.
pay an arm and a leg (for something)
- to pay a lot of money for something
We paid an arm and a leg for our new sofa.
pay (someone) a back-handed/left-handed compliment
- to give someone a false compliment that is actually an insult
The speaker paid the host of the party a back-handed compliment.
play into (someone`s) hands
- to do something that another person can use against you or can use to his or her advantage
If you become angry at the man's extreme actions it will only play into his hands.
point the finger (of blame) at (someone)
- to blame someone for doing something wrong, to identify someone as being guilty
The waitress pointed the finger of blame at the cook when the police began to investigate the murder.
put one's finger on (something)
- to locate something precisely, to identify something as very important
I was able to put my finger on the problem and find someone to help me fix it.
put one's hand to the plow
- to begin to do a big and important task
I put my hands to the plow in order to get my essay finished before the weekend.
put one's hands on (something)
- to locate and acquire something
I have not been able to put my hands on a good cookbook yet.
put/lay the finger on (someone)
- to accuse someone of doing something, to identify someone as the one who did something
The police put the finger on the young man as the main suspect for the crime.
putty in (someone's) hands
- very willing to do what someone else thinks or wants
The woman was putty in our hands and we were able to get everything that we wanted from her.
raise a hand
- to do something, to do one's share, to help
I am angry at my friend because he did not raise a hand to help me clean up the mess in the kitchen.
rap (someone's) knuckles
- to punish someone slightly
The judge decided to rap the young boy's knuckles for his crime.
read the handwriting on the wall
- to guess/anticipate what will happen by observing small hints and clues
I read the handwriting on the wall and began to believe that soon I would have no job.
receive (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
The employees received their new boss with open arms.
the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing
- there is not good communication in an organization so one part of the organization does not know what the other part is doing
The assistant manager knew nothing about what the manager was doing in the company. It seems like the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.
rub elbows (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
I have been rubbing elbows with some very interesting people at work recently.
rub shoulders (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
The sales manager rubs shoulders with some of the top business people in the city.
rule of thumb
- a basic or accepted pattern or rule
It is a rule of thumb in our company that workers with the most seniority get bigger offices.
rule (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The leader of the small country rules the citizens with an iron fist.
shake hands on (something)
- to shake someone's hand as a sign of agreement about something
The politicians shook hands on the agreement to build a new hospital.
shake hands with (someone)
- to greet someone by clasping his or her hand and shaking it
The two men shook hands when they met for the first time.
a shot in the arm
- something inspiring, something that gives someone energy
The latest opinion polls were a shot in the arm for the mayor's re-election campaign.
a show of hands
- a vote for something which is done by people raising their hands
The students voted by a show of hands to go to the park after school.
show one's hand
- to reveal one's intentions to someone
I tried hard not to show my hand during the discussions about my new job.
sit on its/their hands
- an audience refuses to applaud
The members of the audience sat on their hands after the performance by the singer.
sit on one's hands
- to do nothing, to fail to help
Our supervisor sat on his hands and refused to help us with our problem.
a slap on the wrist
- a light punishment for doing something wrong
The young man received a slap on the wrist for his crime.
slip through (someone's) fingers
- to get away from someone, to lose track of someone or something
The job opportunity slipped through my fingers which was very disappointing.
stick out like a sore thumb
- to be obvious and visible
The man sticks out like a sore thumb when he wears his orange hat.
sticky fingers
- the habit of stealing things
Everyone thinks that the new woman at work has sticky fingers because many things have been stolen recently.
take a hand in (something)
- to help plan or do something
I have decided to take a hand in the building of the new cafeteria.
take (someone or something) in hand
- to try to take control of a situation and improve it or deal with it
Our teacher quickly took the situation in hand when the class became too noisy.
take (someone or something) off (someone's) hands
- to remove or look after someone or something so that the other person does not have to deal with it
My friend decided to take the old sofa off my hands.
take the law into one's own hands
- to act as a judge and jury for someone who has done something wrong
The soldiers took the law into their own hands when they entered the town.
throw one's hands up in horror
- to be shocked, to raise one's hands in fright
The girl threw her hands up in horror when she saw the injured dog on the road.
thumb/hitch a ride
- to get a ride from a passing motorist, to ask for a ride from a passing motorist by putting your thumb in the air
We thumbed a ride when our car had a flat tire.
thumb/leaf through (something)
- to look quickly through a book/magazine/newspaper
I thumbed through the garden catalogue at the bookstore.
thumbnail sketch
- a short or small picture or description
The police produced a thumbnail sketch of the bank robber.
thumbs up on (someone or something)
- to be in favor of someone or something
I waited to hear if it would be thumbs up on our plan to change the holiday policy at work.
tie (someone's) hands
- to prevent someone from doing something
The principal tied our hands and we were not able to start on the project this year.
tightfisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My friend is very tightfisted with money and he never likes to buy anything.
throw up one`s hands (in despair/frustration)
- to give up trying, to admit that one cannot succeed
I threw up my hands in frustration when I was unable to complete the telephone call. try one`s hand (at something)
- to make an inexperienced attempt at something, to try something
I tried my hand at golf last summer but I did not like it.
turn one's hand to (something)
- to start to do something that is different from what you usually do
After we finished cleaning the kitchen we turned our hand to the other rooms.
turn thumbs down (on something)
- to disapprove or reject something, to say no to something
The building committee turned thumbs down on our plans to make the office larger.
twiddle one`s thumbs
- to do nothing, to be idle
The girl twiddled her thumbs all year and is now unable to pass her school exams.
twist (someone`s) arm
- to force someone to do something, to threaten someone to make him or her do something
I had to twist my friend's arm to get him to let me borrow his car.
under one`s thumb
- to be obedient to someone, to be controlled by someone
The woman has her husband under her thumb and she never gives him any freedom at all. up in arms
- to be very angry and wanting to fight, to be equipped with guns or weapons and ready to fight
The students were up in arms over the school's plan to make them wear uniforms. (get/gain/have) the upper hand (on someone)
- to get into a position that is superior or more advantageous than someone else
The union has the upper hand in their negotiations with the company.
use some elbow grease
- to use some effort
The dirty kitchen could use some elbow grease to get it clean again.
wash one`s hands of (someone or something)
- to withdraw from or refuse to be responsible for something, to stop one's association with someone
I decided to wash my hands of the problem with the new secretary and let someone else deal with it.
welcome (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
We welcomed the new teacher with open arms.
win (something) hands down
- easily, without a doubt
The new mayor won the election hands down.
with hat in hand
- with humility
The boy went to his father with hat in hand to ask to borrow some money.
with one hand/both hands tied behind one's back
- easily, even under a severe handicap
The job was very hard to do because I had to operate with one hand tied behind my back.
with open arms
- warmly, eagerly, glad to see someone
The author was welcomed with open arms when he came to visit the city.
work hand in hand (with someone)
- to work closely together with someone in order to achieve something
The government is working hand in hand with the police department to solve the road problems.
work one`s fingers to the bone
- to work very hard
The woman worked her fingers to the bone in order to make enough money to feed her children.
wrap (someone) around one`s little finger
- to have complete control over someone, to manipulate someone
My sister has her boss wrapped around her little finger and she can do anything that she wants.
wring one's hands
- to worry and be upset about something and not be doing anything about it
The woman stayed up most of the night wringing her hands while she waited for her son to come home.
wring (someone's) hand
- to hold someone's hand tightly when you greet or say good-bye to him of her
The man stood wringing my hand for a long time when I met him.
you've got to hand it to (someone)
- someone has done something well (although you may not approve of other things that they have done)
"You've got to hand it to our friend. He is always able to raise enough money for his projects."
- everyone must work together because they have a lot of work to do
The captain called for all hands on deck as the storm became stronger and stronger.
all thumbs
- to be awkward and clumsy, a difficulty in fixing things or working with one's hands
The janitor is all thumbs and he can never fix something without making it worse.
arm in arm
- linked together by the arms
The couple walked along the beach arm in arm.
armpit of (somewhere)
- a place that is the ugliest or worst place in a particular area
The small city is the armpit of the country and nobody wants to go there to work.
at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
There were no tools at hand so I was unable to fix the stove.
at one's fingertips
- something is within one's reach
I always have my address book at my fingertips.
at the hands of (someone or something)
- something bad happens because of someone/something else
We were at the hands of nature as we waited for the severe windstorm to end.
bite one's nails
- to bite one's fingernails because you are nervous or anxious
The girl was biting her nails as she waited for the speech contest to begin.
bite the hand that feeds (someone)
- to harm someone who does good things for you
The girl will bite the hand that feeds her if she abuses the help that her parents give her.
bound hand and foot
- to have one's hands and feet tied up
The bank manager was bound hand and foot by the three bank robbers.
burn one`s fingers
- to suffer from a bad experience
My father burned his fingers in the stock market and he does not want to invest money there again.
by the handful
- by the amount that one can measure in one handful
We were able to pick strawberries by the handful in the small field.
cannot see one's hand in front of one's face
- to be unable to see very far (usually because of darkness or fog)
I could not see my hands in front of my face because of the heavy rain.
catch (someone) red-handed
- to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
The teacher caught the boys red-handed when they wrote on the school wall.
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar
- to be caught doing something wrong or illegal
The woman was caught with her hand in the cookie jar when we saw her stealing office supplies.
change hands
- to be sold or given to someone else
The small corner store has changed hands many times recently.
close at hand
- within reach, handy
There were no restaurants close at hand when we decided to go out for dinner.
closefisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My uncle is very closefisted with money.
come/go away empty-handed
- to return without anything, to go away without anything
We returned from the department store empty-handed.
control (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The manager controls the staff with an iron fist.
cost an arm and a leg
- to cost much money
My father paid an arm and a leg for his car and he loves driving it.
cross one`s fingers
- to cross two fingers of one hand to hope or wish for good luck
I crossed my fingers that I would get the job that I had applied for.
cross (someone's) palm with silver
- to give money to someone for a service
We crossed the hotel clerk's palm with silver to get a good room.
dirty one`s hands
- to hurt one's character or good name, to do a bad or shameful thing
The politician dirtied his hands when he became involved in the land deal.
dismiss/reject (something) out of hand
- to immediately decide not to accept an idea/argument/plan without thinking about it
The company dismissed the union's offer to settle the dispute out of hand.
do (something) by hand
- to do something with one's hands rather than a machine
The washing machine was broken so we had to do everything by hand.
eat out of (someone's) hand
- to do what someone else wants
I usually can get my supervisor to eat out of my hand.
elbow (someone) out of (something)
- to force or pressure someone out of something (an office or position)
The new manager got his new position by elbowing many others out of the way.
everything one can lay/get his or her hands on
- to use everything of a particular type that you can find
We used everything that we could lay our hands on to build the small storage building.
fall/get into the wrong hands
- something secret/dangerous is discovered by someone who may use it in a way that harms people
The government is being very careful that the new weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.
(someone's) fingerprints are on (something)
- an action/piece of work is typical of a particular person and they must have been involved in it
Many police officers believe that the criminal's fingerprints are on the recent crime.
a firm hand
- strict control of someone or something
The company uses a firm hand in managing their financial resources.
first hand
- to see/experience/learn about something by direct personal experience
We learned about the car accident first hand when we were driving down the highway.
fold one's hands
- to bring one's hands together so that they are palm to palm with the fingers interlocking
The students folded their hands and sat quietly on their chairs.
force (someone's) hand
- to force a person to reveal his or her plans/strategies/secrets
Our lawyer forced the hand of the opposing lawyer.
from hand to hand
- from one person to another person
We passed the dictionaries from hand to hand until everybody had one.
get one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
I am trying hard to get my hands on a new gas tank for the camping stove.
get out of hand
- to become difficult or impossible to control
The party got out of hand and the school authorities asked everyone to go home.
give one`s right arm (for someone or something)
- to give something of great value for someone or something
I would give my right arm to be able to go to Florida with my friend next month.
give (someone) a big hand
- to clap your hands for a speech/play/performance
The audience gave the musicians a big hand when they finished their performance.
give (someone) a free hand
- to allow someone to do something in the way that they choose
The senior managers give their employees a free hand to make their own work schedule.
give (someone) a hand with (something)
- to help someone with something
I gave my friend a hand when he moved into his new apartment.
give (someone or something) the thumbs up
- to be in favor of someone or something
The city gave the music festival organizers the thumbs up to have the music festival.
glad hand (someone)
- to give someone a friendly handshake, to give a warm greeting to someone
The politician spent all day glad handing the crowd at the shopping center.
go away empty-handed
- to depart with nothing
The woman went away empty-handed from the job interview.
go hand in hand (with something)
- to be closely related and must be considered together
The change in school hours goes hand in hand with the new policy of decreasing class sizes.
grease (someone`s) palm
- to pay a person for something done or given, to bribe someone
We had to grease the palm of the customs agent at the border to get our goods into the country.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
My sister's husband has a green thumb and has a very beautiful garden.
hand in glove (with someone)
- very close to someone
The new company policy goes hand in glove with the new manager.
hand in hand
- holding hands
The young couple walked hand in hand along the beach.
hand over fist
- fast and in large amounts
We have been making money hand over fist in our new store.
hand over hand
- moving one hand after the other
We climbed hand over hand up the side of the mountain.
(one's) hands are tied
- to be prevented from doing something
My hands are tied at the moment and I cannot help my friend.
hands down
- easily, unopposed
I won the election hands down for the position of class president. hands off (something)
- to leave something alone, to not interfere with something
I took a hands-off approach while dealing with the new employee.
hang on by one's fingernails
- to continue or manage to do something in a difficult situation
The man is continuing at his job but he is only hanging on by his fingernails.
hard on (someone's) heels
- to be following someone very closely
The dog was hard on the young boy's heels.
have a finger in the pie
- to be involved in something, to have a role in something
The waitress has a finger in the pie of the new restaurant.
have a free hand (to do something)
- to be granted complete control to do something
The teacher had a free hand to choose new textbooks for the course.
have a hand in (something)
- to be involved or play a part in (doing something)
The new teacher has a hand in the recent changes to the cafeteria rules.
have clean hands
- to be guiltless
The man claims to have clean hands in the affair regarding the stolen goods.
have one's finger in too many pies
- to be involved in too many things (so you cannot do any of them well)
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies and she is not able to do her job well at all.
have/keep one's finger on the pulse
- to be aware of recent changes/developments in a particular situation or activity
The manager has her finger on the pulse of the company and she knows what everybody is doing.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or organization
The sales clerk has had her hand in the till since she first started her job.
have one's hands full (with someone or something)
- to be busy/occupied with someone or something
The woman has her hands full with her three children.
have (someone's) blood on one's hands
- to be responsible for someone's death
The driver has the bicycle rider's blood on his hands.
have (someone) eating out of (the palm of) your hand
- someone is willing to do whatever you want them to do
The woman has her supervisor eating out of the palm of her hand.
have (someone or something) on one's hands
- to be burdened with someone or something
I do not want to have the cancellation of the party on my hands.
have (something) at one's fingertips
- something is nearby and ready to be used
I always have a dictionary at my fingertips when I am reading a book.
have (something) in one's hands
- to have control of or responsibility for something, to possess something
"When I have the documents in my hands I will call you."
heavy hand (of something)
- the great power that someone or something has over people
The heavy hand of the law is usually able to find those who commit a crime.
high-handed
- disregarding other's feelings, overbearing
The employees took a high-handed approach to the negotiations and they were not successful.
hold (someone's) hand
- to help someone in an unfamiliar or frightening situation
The man held his son's hand as they watched the scary movie.
in good hands
- in the safe and able care of someone
The stolen purse was in good hands after the police found it.
in hand
- under control
After several hours the riot police had the problems with the crowd in hand.
in hand
- in one's possession
The man arrived at the border crossing with much cash in hand.
in safe hands
- under the care of someone or an organization that you can trust and who will help you
The little girl is in safe hands now that she has arrived at her grandmother's house.
in the hands of (someone)
- a person or organization has control over something and decides what will happen
The court decision is now in the hands of the jury.
iron fist in a velvet glove
- kind and gentle on the outside but determined and ruthless on the inside
The government committee used an iron fist in a velvet glove to get the information that they wanted.
itchy/itching palm
- to be greedy, to have a desire for money/tips
The police officer had an itching palm and took much money from criminals before he was arrested.
join hands
- to hold hands so that one person is holding the hands of another person
All of the children joined hands as they crossed the road.
keep one's finger's crossed
- to wish for good luck
"I will keep my fingers crossed that you are able to get the new job that you have applied for."
keep one's hand in (something)
- to retain one's control of something, to practice something so that you do not forget it
The animal trainer is trying to keep his hand in his work even though he has retired.
keep one's hands off (someone or something)
- to refrain from touching/handling someone or something
The man was told to keep his hands off his neighbor's dog.
know (someone or something) like the back/palm of one's hand
- to know someone or something very well
The taxi driver knows the city like the back of his hand.
lay a finger on (someone or something)
- to touch or bother someone or something
The teacher told the students not to lay a finger on the new textbooks. lay one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
If I can lay my hands on a screwdriver I will fix the broken table.
leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands
- to give someone control of someone or something
I plan to leave the party organizing in my friend's hands.
lend (someone) a hand
- to help someone with something
I will ask my friend to lend me a hand when I move. lift/raise a finger/hand
- to do something to help someone
My niece will never lift a finger to help anyone. live from hand to mouth
- to live on very little money
My friend has been living from hand to mouth since he lost his job.
long arm of the law
- the police and laws are so powerful that no matter where you are you will be found and punished
The criminal was sought by the long arm of the law until he was finally captured.
lose one's grip
- to lose control of a situation
The young teacher seems to be losing her grip on the situation in her classroom.
Many hands make light work
- a lot of help will make a job seem easy
Many hands make light work and lots of people helped to make the job easy.
near at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
If there is a grocery store near at hand I will buy some milk. off one`s hands
- no longer in one's care or possession
I would like to get my old refridgerator off my hands so that I can buy a new one.
old hand at (doing something)
- someone who is experienced and very good at doing something
Our boss is an old hand at fixing computer problems.
on hand
- nearby, available, in one's possession
We did not have a screwdriver on hand so we could not fix the stove. on hand
- present
Our teacher is always on hand when we need someone to help us.
on the one hand
- from one side of an issue, from one point of view
On the one hand I like my supervisor but on the other hand sometimes I dislike her a lot.
on the other hand
- from another point of view, from the other side of an issue
I am very tired but on the other hand I must do some work tonight.
out of hand
- out of control
The party got out of hand so we called the police.
out of hand
- immediately and without consulting anyone, without delay
Our teacher dismissed our excuses out of hand.
palm off (something)
- to sell or give something away by pretending that it is more valuable than it is
I think that the man palmed off a television set that does not work.
pay an arm and a leg (for something)
- to pay a lot of money for something
We paid an arm and a leg for our new sofa.
pay (someone) a back-handed/left-handed compliment
- to give someone a false compliment that is actually an insult
The speaker paid the host of the party a back-handed compliment.
play into (someone`s) hands
- to do something that another person can use against you or can use to his or her advantage
If you become angry at the man's extreme actions it will only play into his hands.
point the finger (of blame) at (someone)
- to blame someone for doing something wrong, to identify someone as being guilty
The waitress pointed the finger of blame at the cook when the police began to investigate the murder.
put one's finger on (something)
- to locate something precisely, to identify something as very important
I was able to put my finger on the problem and find someone to help me fix it.
put one's hand to the plow
- to begin to do a big and important task
I put my hands to the plow in order to get my essay finished before the weekend.
put one's hands on (something)
- to locate and acquire something
I have not been able to put my hands on a good cookbook yet.
put/lay the finger on (someone)
- to accuse someone of doing something, to identify someone as the one who did something
The police put the finger on the young man as the main suspect for the crime.
putty in (someone's) hands
- very willing to do what someone else thinks or wants
The woman was putty in our hands and we were able to get everything that we wanted from her.
raise a hand
- to do something, to do one's share, to help
I am angry at my friend because he did not raise a hand to help me clean up the mess in the kitchen.
rap (someone's) knuckles
- to punish someone slightly
The judge decided to rap the young boy's knuckles for his crime.
read the handwriting on the wall
- to guess/anticipate what will happen by observing small hints and clues
I read the handwriting on the wall and began to believe that soon I would have no job.
receive (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
The employees received their new boss with open arms.
the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing
- there is not good communication in an organization so one part of the organization does not know what the other part is doing
The assistant manager knew nothing about what the manager was doing in the company. It seems like the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.
rub elbows (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
I have been rubbing elbows with some very interesting people at work recently.
rub shoulders (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
The sales manager rubs shoulders with some of the top business people in the city.
rule of thumb
- a basic or accepted pattern or rule
It is a rule of thumb in our company that workers with the most seniority get bigger offices.
rule (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The leader of the small country rules the citizens with an iron fist.
shake hands on (something)
- to shake someone's hand as a sign of agreement about something
The politicians shook hands on the agreement to build a new hospital.
shake hands with (someone)
- to greet someone by clasping his or her hand and shaking it
The two men shook hands when they met for the first time.
a shot in the arm
- something inspiring, something that gives someone energy
The latest opinion polls were a shot in the arm for the mayor's re-election campaign.
a show of hands
- a vote for something which is done by people raising their hands
The students voted by a show of hands to go to the park after school.
show one's hand
- to reveal one's intentions to someone
I tried hard not to show my hand during the discussions about my new job.
sit on its/their hands
- an audience refuses to applaud
The members of the audience sat on their hands after the performance by the singer.
sit on one's hands
- to do nothing, to fail to help
Our supervisor sat on his hands and refused to help us with our problem.
a slap on the wrist
- a light punishment for doing something wrong
The young man received a slap on the wrist for his crime.
slip through (someone's) fingers
- to get away from someone, to lose track of someone or something
The job opportunity slipped through my fingers which was very disappointing.
stick out like a sore thumb
- to be obvious and visible
The man sticks out like a sore thumb when he wears his orange hat.
sticky fingers
- the habit of stealing things
Everyone thinks that the new woman at work has sticky fingers because many things have been stolen recently.
take a hand in (something)
- to help plan or do something
I have decided to take a hand in the building of the new cafeteria.
take (someone or something) in hand
- to try to take control of a situation and improve it or deal with it
Our teacher quickly took the situation in hand when the class became too noisy.
take (someone or something) off (someone's) hands
- to remove or look after someone or something so that the other person does not have to deal with it
My friend decided to take the old sofa off my hands.
take the law into one's own hands
- to act as a judge and jury for someone who has done something wrong
The soldiers took the law into their own hands when they entered the town.
throw one's hands up in horror
- to be shocked, to raise one's hands in fright
The girl threw her hands up in horror when she saw the injured dog on the road.
thumb/hitch a ride
- to get a ride from a passing motorist, to ask for a ride from a passing motorist by putting your thumb in the air
We thumbed a ride when our car had a flat tire.
thumb/leaf through (something)
- to look quickly through a book/magazine/newspaper
I thumbed through the garden catalogue at the bookstore.
thumbnail sketch
- a short or small picture or description
The police produced a thumbnail sketch of the bank robber.
thumbs up on (someone or something)
- to be in favor of someone or something
I waited to hear if it would be thumbs up on our plan to change the holiday policy at work.
tie (someone's) hands
- to prevent someone from doing something
The principal tied our hands and we were not able to start on the project this year.
tightfisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My friend is very tightfisted with money and he never likes to buy anything.
throw up one`s hands (in despair/frustration)
- to give up trying, to admit that one cannot succeed
I threw up my hands in frustration when I was unable to complete the telephone call. try one`s hand (at something)
- to make an inexperienced attempt at something, to try something
I tried my hand at golf last summer but I did not like it.
turn one's hand to (something)
- to start to do something that is different from what you usually do
After we finished cleaning the kitchen we turned our hand to the other rooms.
turn thumbs down (on something)
- to disapprove or reject something, to say no to something
The building committee turned thumbs down on our plans to make the office larger.
twiddle one`s thumbs
- to do nothing, to be idle
The girl twiddled her thumbs all year and is now unable to pass her school exams.
twist (someone`s) arm
- to force someone to do something, to threaten someone to make him or her do something
I had to twist my friend's arm to get him to let me borrow his car.
under one`s thumb
- to be obedient to someone, to be controlled by someone
The woman has her husband under her thumb and she never gives him any freedom at all. up in arms
- to be very angry and wanting to fight, to be equipped with guns or weapons and ready to fight
The students were up in arms over the school's plan to make them wear uniforms. (get/gain/have) the upper hand (on someone)
- to get into a position that is superior or more advantageous than someone else
The union has the upper hand in their negotiations with the company.
use some elbow grease
- to use some effort
The dirty kitchen could use some elbow grease to get it clean again.
wash one`s hands of (someone or something)
- to withdraw from or refuse to be responsible for something, to stop one's association with someone
I decided to wash my hands of the problem with the new secretary and let someone else deal with it.
welcome (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
We welcomed the new teacher with open arms.
win (something) hands down
- easily, without a doubt
The new mayor won the election hands down.
with hat in hand
- with humility
The boy went to his father with hat in hand to ask to borrow some money.
with one hand/both hands tied behind one's back
- easily, even under a severe handicap
The job was very hard to do because I had to operate with one hand tied behind my back.
with open arms
- warmly, eagerly, glad to see someone
The author was welcomed with open arms when he came to visit the city.
work hand in hand (with someone)
- to work closely together with someone in order to achieve something
The government is working hand in hand with the police department to solve the road problems.
work one`s fingers to the bone
- to work very hard
The woman worked her fingers to the bone in order to make enough money to feed her children.
wrap (someone) around one`s little finger
- to have complete control over someone, to manipulate someone
My sister has her boss wrapped around her little finger and she can do anything that she wants.
wring one's hands
- to worry and be upset about something and not be doing anything about it
The woman stayed up most of the night wringing her hands while she waited for her son to come home.
wring (someone's) hand
- to hold someone's hand tightly when you greet or say good-bye to him of her
The man stood wringing my hand for a long time when I met him.
you've got to hand it to (someone)
- someone has done something well (although you may not approve of other things that they have done)
"You've got to hand it to our friend. He is always able to raise enough money for his projects."
