| Get out of
hand |
If a person or a situation gets out of hand, they cannot be
controlled any longer.
"During the student demonstration, things got out of hand and
several shop windows were broken." |
| With a heavy hand |
Dealing with or
treating people with a heavy hand means acting with
discipline and severity, with little or no sensitivity.
"He ran the juvenile delinquent centre with a heavy hand." |
| Iron fist/hand
in a velvet glove |
This
expression is used to describe someone who, behind an
appearance of gentleness, is inflexible and determined.
"To impose the necessary reforms, the leader used persuasion
followed by force - an iron fist in a velvet glove." |
| Like the back of
one's hand |
If you know
something like the back of your hand, you are very
familiar with it and know it in detail.
"Of course I won't get lost. I know London like the back of my
hand!" |
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Live from
hand to mouth |
If you live from hand to
mouth, you don't have enough money
to save. Whatever you earn is spent on food and other essentials.
"Most families in that poor area live from hand to mouth." |
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The left hand doesn't know what
the right hand is doing |
This expression means that communication
within a group or
organization is so bad that people don't know what the others are
doing. |
One
hand washes the other...
(... and together they wash the face.) |
This
expression means that when people cooperate and work well
together, there is a better chance of achieving results.
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Overplay your hand
|
If you overplay your hand, you are
overconfident and spoil your
chances of success by trying to obtain too much.
"Sam is hoping for a bonus for his good results, but he may be
overplaying his hand if he asks for a promotion." |
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The upper hand |
If a person or
organization gains or gets
the upper hand,
they take control over something. |
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All hands on deck |
When there is a need for all hands on deck, everyone
must help,
especially when there's a lot of work to be done in a short amount
of time.
"As the opening day approached, it was all hands on deck to have
everything ready in time." |
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The devil makes work for
idle hands |
This expression means that people who do
not have enough to do
are often tempted to do something wrong.
"It's not good for kids to have nothing to do at the week-end -
the devil makes work for idle hands!" |
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Get
your
hands dirty |
If you get your hands dirty in your job, you become involved in all
aspects of it, including work that is physical, unpleasant or less
interesting.
"His willingness to get his hands dirty won the respect and approval
of the whole team. |
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The devil makes work for idle hands |
This expression means that people who do not have enough to do
are often tempted to do something wrong.
"It's not good for kids to have nothing to do at the week-end -
the devil makes work for idle hands!" |
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| Get your
hands dirty |
If you get your hands dirty in your job, you become involved in all
aspects of it, including work that is physical, unpleasant or less
interesting.
"His willingness to get his hands dirty won the respect and approval
of the whole team. |
| Have
your hands full |
If you have your hands full, you
are very busy or you have a lot to do. |
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In
safe (good)
hands
|
If
something is in safe
(or good) hands, it is being looked after by
a reliable person or organization, and is therefore at no risk.
"I'll look after Jamie while you go shopping. Don't worry -
he'll be in
safe hands. |
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Play
into someone's
hands |
If you play into someone's hands, you do exactly what your
opponent or enemy wants you to do, so that they gain an advantage
over you.
"When the leaders of the protest movement became violent,
they played right into the hands of the police." |
Take
the law into one's own
hands |
If, instead
of calling the police, you act personally against
someone who has done something wrong, you take the
law into your own hands.
"Instead of calling the police, he took the law into his own
hands
and confronted the youth who had stolen his son's scooter." |
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A
show of hands |
A show of hands is a method of voting in
which people give their
opinion by raising a hand.
"How many people agree? Could we have a show of hands please?" |
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Wash your hands of something |
To wash your hands of a problem or
situation means that you refuse
to deal with it any longer. |
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Grease somebody's palm |
If you accuse someone of
greasing somebody's palm, you are
accusing them of giving money to someone in order to gain an unfair
advantage, or to obtain something they want.
"In some countries, it is common practice to grease government
officials' palms." |
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