Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (37 page)
arm candy
an attractive-looking individual who accompanies someone else just to make that person look better ♦
I think her new boyfriend is just
arm candy
to her.
♦
Some celebrities never appear in public without their
arm candy.
[See also
cost an arm and a leg
in Chapter 6.]
The Hands
There are many idioms and expressions that use
hand
or
hands.
Most of these idioms refer to the basic function of the hands and their usefulness in working, helping, protecting, and creating things. Others refer to having responsibility or letting it go. The following idioms are organized by topic.
Hands That Help
A common saying, “Many hands make light work,” means that work is easier when many people help. Hands are often a metaphor for helping. So, it’s logical that some idiomatic expressions with
hand
refer to helping or supporting others. Both of the following expressions mean to help someone:
lend someone a hand
♦
Hey! Could you
lend me a hand
with this heavy box?
give someone a hand
♦
Let me
give you a hand.
You shouldn’t do all that work by yourself.
These expressions are often said to
lend a helping hand
or
give a helping hand:
“Bob is so kind. He’s always there to
lend a helping hand
.”
Grammar Note:
An indirect object (in the form or a noun or pronoun) almost always comes before
a hand
, as in the above expressions.
Two similar idioms are used when a person needs help:
could use a hand
♦
I could
use a hand
with this.
need a hand
♦
I
need a hand
moving this furniture.
To inquire if someone needs help, you can ask one of the following:
- Could you
use a hand
with that repair job? - Do you
need a hand
with the groceries?
In addition, here are some idioms to describe people whose occupation it is to
lend a hand
:
a hired hand:
one who is hired to work around a farm, ranch, or estate
right-hand man:
one’s assistant and most valuable helper
[See also
give someone a hand
(to applaud and show appreciation) later in this chapter.]
Hands That Control
Holding something in one’s hands can be a metaphor for holding responsibility or having control, as in the following expressions:
be in good hands
(adj)
be in a secure, safe position; often used to assure someone that a person or service is responsible, trustworthy, and capable ♦
With Dr. Mozayan,
you’re in very good hands.
He’s an excellent surgeon.
♦
When you insure your home through us, your investment
is in good hands.
in someone’s hands
be made someone’s responsibility to safeguard; implies that the fate or outcome of something is in someone’s power; often used to refer to God or other deities ♦
The doctors have done all they can for the girl. Now
it’s in God’s hands. ♦
Thank you for offering to take over this troublesome project. We’re putting it
in your hands.
put one’s life in someone’s hands
to trust someone with one’s life, safety, or well-being; also phrased
to have someone’s life in one’s hands
♦
Drive with that drunk?! No way! I’m not
putting my life in his hands. ♦
As a commercial pilot she has the
lives of hundreds of people in her hands
every day.
have one’s hands full
to have too much or a lot of responsibility; to be very busy ♦
Wow, with six children and two jobs, she really
has her hands full! ♦
I’m sorry, but I can’t take on any new assignments right now.
My hands are totally full.
get (
or
have
or
gain) the upper hand
to take control from someone who once had control over you, or exceed someone who was previously ahead of you ♦
For years, the older brothers bullied him, but now he
has the upper hand
because he’s much bigger.
♦
Our team was losing until the last quarter, when we
gained the upper hand.
Hands That Don’t Have Control
When something is
out of one’s hands
one is no longer in control or responsible for it; one can do nothing more to help or influence a situation. Here are some examples:
- I recommended her for the job, but the decision to hire her is
out of my hands. - He asked us to help him get a visa, but that kind of thing is totally
out of our hands.
Taking Your Life In Your Hands
When you do something that is potentially life threatening, you
take your life in your hands.
This expression means that you risk your life, or take risks with serious consequences. This expression is often used to exaggerate a situation. Here are some examples:
- I warn you,
you take your life in your hands
crossing that busy street! - If you want to
take your life in your hands,
just drive with grandpa! He’s a terrible driver, and he can’t see very well. - Why is she
taking her life in her hands
traveling in that dangerous area at night?!
The following expressions also relate to being unable to help, or to release responsibility or have no control.
one’s hands are tied
be unable to help someone because of policy, rules, or other factors ♦
I’d like to help you out, but
my hands are tied.
Our policy doesn’t permit it.
♦
Son,
my hands are tied.
I would let you buy a motorcycle, but mom says no. And you know she’s the boss!
wash one’s hands of
to no longer want to associate with or be responsible for something or someone; to renounce something or someone. Alludes to washing something dirty off one’s hands. ♦
If you are going to disregard safety regulations,
I wash my hands of
the whole project!
♦
We’ve tried to help him many times without success. So we’ve
washed our hands of
him.
be (
or
get) out of hand
be out of control; uncontrollable; unable to stop a thing or person from doing harm to someone or something else ♦
When the children start
getting out of hand,
I make them play outside.
♦
You can’t let that dog
get out of hand.
Bruno is big, and he could hurt someone.
♦
A small brush fire can
get out of hand
quickly.
throw up one’s hands
to give up trying to control, influence, or understand something ♦
I was about to
throw up my hands
and call a plumber when I finally figured out how to repair those pipes.
♦
Before you
throw up your hands,
let me try to help you.
♦
After they made a big mess, she
threw up her hands
and stopped trying to get her kids to eat squash.
Hands That Make Things
Some
hand
idioms relate to working with the hands. Something
made by hand
,
hand-made,
or
hand-done
is made by a person, not a machine. The expression
hand-done
often refers to decoration or added details. The expression
hand-crafted
often refers to something that involves detailed craftsmanship, such as furniture or jewelry. Here are some examples:
- She’s an excellent seamstress. She
makes
all her clothes
by hand. - This store sells only
hand-made
goods. - The carving on this table was all
hand-done
by my father. - She
hand-crafted
many of these beautiful gold rings.
Hands That Hold
To
take one’s hand
means to hold on to someone’s hand or to put someone’s hand in yours. Someone might say to a small child, “Susie,
take my hand
” just before crossing a street together. A person can also take someone’s hand romantically, compassionately, or to check someone’s health, as in these examples:
- He
took her hand
and said, “I love you.” - The nurse
took my hand
and checked my pulse.
When two people are
holding hands
or are
hand in hand,
one person’s hand is in the others. Here are some examples of these expressions:
- They
held hands
through the entire movie. - You can see sweethearts walking
hand in hand
along the beach. - He
held my hand
when I was sick.
A similar expression, at least on the surface, is
give someone your hand.
If you
give someone your hand
(in marriage), then you accept that person’s marriage proposal. And to
ask for someone’s hand
means to ask someone to marry you. Here are some examples:
- My father
asked for my mother’s hand
after knowing her for only two weeks
. - She accepted and
gave him her hand.
Hand
+ Prepositions
The verb
to hand
generally means to pass something from one to another. Idioms with the verb
to hand
plus a preposition refer to various types of passing something from one person to another. Here are the idioms:
hand in
(to submit something) ♦ Hand in
your homework at the beginning of class.
hand out
(to distribute something) ♦
The professor
handed out
the syllabus.
hand off
(to pass to someone else) ♦
Next week we’ll
hand off
the project to the manufacturer.
hand over
(to give unwillingly) ♦
The thief yelled, “
Hand over
your wallet!”
hand down
(to pass to the next generation) ♦
Native American traditions have been
handed down
from generation to generation
.
Grammar Note:
These idioms are separable phrasal verbs. They require a direct object, which can come between the two words of the idiom. For example: “The professor
handed
the syllabus
out.
” (In casual speech and writing, it is okay to end a sentence with a preposition.)
[For more information on separable phrasal verbs, see Part V.]
The plural noun
hands
is combined with the prepositions
up,
down, on,
and
off
to form the following idioms:
Hands up!
means “Put your hands above your head”; usually said by a criminal or a law-enforcement officer with a weapon ♦ “Hands up!
You’re under arrest!” the police shouted.
hands down
(adv)
easily, without effort; without doubt or question ♦
They won every game
hands down.
The other team was no competition.
♦
She’s the hottest new rapper,
hands down.
hands on
(adj)
refers to an activity or training where one actively participates ♦
The kids love the experiments they get to do in their science class. It’s all
hands on. ♦
This museum for kids is very
hands on.
Look at all the interactive exhibits!
hands off
a request to not touch or take something or someone ♦ Hands off
those cookies until after dinner.
♦ Hands off,
girl! That’s my boyfriend.
Hands That Lay On
Three different expressions use
hand
or
hands
with the words
lay on
. Here they are:
lay a hand on someone
to hurt physically; to attempt to take; to touch sexually; this expression is often used in the negative ♦
I scold my kids, but I never
lay a hand on them
in anger. I don’t believe in spanking.
♦
She warned her housemates, “Don’t anyone
lay a hand
on that cake. It’s for the party tonight.”
♦ My father told every guy I dated,
“If you
lay a hand on my daughter,
I’ll have you arrested!”
lay one’s hands on something
to find or locate something that is missing or that one is interested in discovering ♦
I’ve finally
laid my hands on
a good idiom book,
The American Idiom Handbook. ♦
I know his business card is here somewhere, but I can’t
lay my hands on it
right now.
laying on of hands
a healing method that involves laying or putting one’s hands on the injured part ♦
She was greatly respected for her skill in healing by the
laying on of hands.
