I. hand1 S1 W1 /hænd/
noun [
Word Family: noun:
hand,
handful;
adjective:
underhand,
handy;
verb:
hand;
adverb:
handily]
[
Language: Old English]
1. PART OF BODY [countable] the part of your body at the end of your arm, including your fingers and thumb, that you use to hold things:
Steve gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. In her hand was a tattered old photograph.2. HELP a hand help with something – used in the following phrases
need/want a hand Do you need a hand packing?give/lend (somebody) a hand Can you give me a hand to lift this? If you get stuck, Denise is always willing to lend a hand.I could do with a hand/use a hand (=it would be useful to have some help) We could certainly do with a hand. ⇒
a helping hand at
help1(9)
3. CONTROL [singular, uncountable] control, power, or influence that someone has:
The President has strengthened the hand of the gun lobby. This matter is too important to be left in the hands of (=in the control of) an inexperienced lawyer. a manager with a firm hand (=who controls things strictly)4. get out of hand if a situation or person gets out of hand, they become impossible to control any longer:
The demonstration was getting out of hand.5. on the other hand (
also on the one hand ... on the other hand) used to give another opinion or fact that should be considered as well as the one you have just given:
I’d like to eat out, but on the other hand I should be trying to save money.► Do not say ‘on one hand’. Say
on the one hand.
6. hands off spoken used to say that someone cannot have, take, or touch something:
Hey! Hands off that CD! It’s mine! Tell your little brother to keep his hands off my car. ⇒
hands-off7. in hand a) if something is in hand, it is being done or dealt with:
Plans are in hand to perform ‘Oz’ next semester. Lisa seemed to have things in hand by the time he returned.job/task/matter etc in hand Our officers have to concentrate 100 per cent on the task in hand.take somebody in hand (=begin to deal with someone’s problems etc) b) British English if you work a week, a month etc in hand, you do not get paid until after you have worked two weeks, two months etc
c) British English if you have time, money etc in hand, you have it available:
I usually have a few days’ leave in hand at the end of the year. d) British English if a team or player has a game in hand in a competition, they still have another game to play in which they could gain more points
8. in the hands of somebody/in sb’s hands being dealt with or cared for by someone:
The matter is in the hands of the police.in good/safe/capable etc hands You can be sure your children are in good hands. The fear is that nuclear secrets could fall into the wrong hands.► Do not say ‘in the hand of someone’. Say
in the hands of someone. ⇒
a safe pair of hands at
safe1(11)
9. hands up a) with your arms straight up in the air – used especially to tell someone to do this as a sign that they will not attack you:
Hands up! You’re under arrest! The men emerged from the building with their hands up. b) used to tell people to put their arm straight up in the air if they know the answer to a question or want to say something:
Hands up if you agree with what Eric was saying.10. at hand formal a) likely to happen soon:
Recent economic performance suggests that a major crisis is at hand. b) close to you and available to be used:
Don’t worry, help is at hand! c) needing to be dealt with now:
Peter turned his attention to the task at hand.11. to hand British English something that is to hand is close to you, so that you can reach it easily
12. on hand close by and ready when needed:
Our staff are always on hand to help.13. by hand a) done or made by a person rather than a machine:
We had to wash our clothes by hand. b) delivered by someone personally, rather than being sent through the post, emailed etc
14. (at) first hand if you know or experience something first hand, you have personal experience of it:
a chance to view at first hand the workings of the court15. (at) second/third/fourth hand if you know something second, third etc hand, someone tells you about it, but you have no personal experience of it:
Until now, information has been second or third hand, but this news comes from someone who was there.16. at the hands of somebody caused or done by a particular person – used about something bad or unpleasant that someone does:
Anyone who suffered at the hands of care workers will be entitled to compensation. This is their third defeat at the hands of the world champions.17. get your hands on something informal to succeed in getting something:
She’s only marrying him to get her hands on his money.18. lay your hands on something to find or get something:
I would read any book I could lay my hands on.19. come to hand if something comes to hand, it is there for you to use – used especially about something that is there by chance:
They ran, picking up whatever weapons came to hand.20. get your hands on somebody spoken to catch someone you are angry with:
Just wait till I get my hands on you!21. have a hand in something to influence or be involved in something:
He had a hand in both goals.22. hand in hand a) (go) hand in hand if two things go hand in hand, they are closely connected:
Wealth and power go hand in hand in most societies.(go) hand in hand with They say that genius often goes hand in hand with madness. b) if two people walk, stand etc hand in hand, they walk, stand etc while they are holding each other’s hand:
They walked hand in hand in silence up the path.23. have something/somebody on your hands to have a difficult job, problem, situation etc to deal with:
I’m afraid we have a murder on our hands, Inspector.24. be off your hands if something or someone is off your hands, you are not responsible for them any more:
Once this problem is off our hands we can relax for a while.take somebody/something off sb’s hands She wants someone to take the kids off her hands occasionally.25. try your hand at (doing) something to try to do something you have not tried before:
John dreamed of being a writer and had tried his hand at poetry.26. turn your hand to (doing) something to do something well, even if it is the first time you have tried:
Larry’s one of those men who can turn their hand to anything.27. out of hand without even stopping to consider what someone has suggested, asked for etc
reject/dismiss/refuse etc something out of hand Aromatherapy was dismissed out of hand by traditional doctors.28. hands down easily
win (something)/beat somebody hands down Nigel always won hands down in any argument.29. have your hands full to be very busy or too busy:
Can’t it wait? I already have my hands full.30. good with your hands skilful at making things
31. on either/every hand written on both sides or in every direction:
Thick forest stood on either hand.32. get your hands dirty a) informal to do hard or dirty physical work – usually used in questions or negative statements:
It’s not that the jobs aren’t there, it’s just that she doesn’t want to get her hands dirty. b) to get involved in the difficult, dishonest, or unpleasant side of something:
He never talked to the media or got his hands dirty in any way.33. keep your hand in to do something that you used to do a lot, so you do not forget how to do it:
You should at least work part-time, just to keep your hand in.34. hand in glove closely connected with someone, especially in an illegal activity:
Far from being independent, the government and media work hand in glove.35. hand over fist informal if you gain or lose something hand over fist, you gain or lose it very quickly:
Five years ago, the company was losing money hand over fist.36. a big hand spoken used to tell the people who are watching a performance to
clap or
cheer loudly:
Let’s all give the girls a big hand.37. all hands on deck (
also all hands to the pumps British English)
informal used to say that everyone is needed to help in a particular situation:
With only half an hour to get everything ready, it was all hands on deck.38. the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing used to say that two parts of an organization that should be doing the same thing are each doing different things without the other knowing
39. WORKER [countable] someone who does physical work on a farm, factory, ship etc:
farm hands40. CARDS [countable] a) the playing cards given to one person in a game:
a winning hand b) a single game of cards
41. CLOCK [countable] a long thin piece of metal that points at the numbers on a clock
hour/minute/second hand42. WRITING [singular] old-fashioned someone’s
handwriting43. sb’s hands are tied if someone’s hands are tied, they cannot help in a particular situation because of rules, laws etc:
The bank claims its hands are tied by federal regulators.44. tie/bind somebody hand and foot a) to tie up someone’s hands and feet
b) to make it very difficult or impossible for someone to do what they think is best
45. can do something with one hand (tied) behind your back spoken used to say that you can do something very easily
46. not do a hand’s turn British English old-fashioned informal to do no work at all
47. sb’s hand (in marriage) old-fashioned permission for a man to marry a particular woman:
He asked for her hand in marriage.48. HORSE [countable] a unit for measuring the height of a horse, equal to about ten centimetres
⇒
cash-in-hand,
freehand,
hands-on,
left-hand,
right-hand, ⇒
be an old hand (at something) at
old(17), ⇒
bite the hand that feeds you at
bite1(15), ⇒
have blood on your hands at
blood1(2), ⇒
have your hands/fingers in the till at
till2(3), ⇒
force sb’s hand at
force2(7), ⇒
overplay your hand at
overplay(2), ⇒
shake sb’s hand/shake hands with somebody at
shake1(4), ⇒
wash your hands of something at
wash1(5)
[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
II. hand2 S2 W2 verb [transitive] [
Word Family: noun:
hand,
handful;
adjective:
underhand,
handy;
verb:
hand;
adverb:
handily]
1. to give something to someone else with your hand
hand somebody something He handed the teacher a slip of paper.hand something to somebody He lit a cigarette and handed it to her. This form must be handed to all employees.2. you have to hand it to somebody spoken used to say that you admire someone:
You have to hand it to her. She’s really made a success of that company.hand something ↔ around (
also hand something round British English)
phrasal verb to offer something to each person in a group:
Willie helped hand the mugs around.hand something ↔ back phrasal verb1. to give something back to the person who gave it to you, with your hand
hand something ↔ back to Kurt examined the document and handed it back to her.hand somebody something ↔ back She handed him his pen back.2. to give something back to the person who used to own it
hand something ↔ back to The land was handed back to its original owner.hand somebody something ↔ back The government has promised to hand investors back their money.hand something ↔ down phrasal verb1. to give or leave something to people who will live after you
hand something ↔ down to The ring was handed down to her from her grandmother. stories handed down by word of mouth ⇒
hand-me-down2. hand down a decision/ruling/sentence etc to officially announce a decision, punishment etc
hand something ↔ in phrasal verb to give something to someone in authority:
Tom has handed in his resignation. Did you hand your homework in on time?hand something ↔ on phrasal verb to give something to someone:
He was accused of handing on government secrets.hand something ↔ out phrasal verb to give something to each person in a group
Synonym : distribute:
Could you start handing these books out please?hand something ↔ out to He was handing out leaflets to members of the audience. ⇒
handouthand over phrasal verb1. hand something ↔ over to give something to someone with your hand, especially because they have asked for it or should have it:
The soldiers were ordered to hand over their guns.hand something ↔ over to He handed the phone over to me.2. to give someone power or responsibility over something which you used to be in charge of
hand something ↔ over (to somebody) On his retirement, he handed the business over to his son. Political control has been handed over to religious leaders.hand over to Now she feels the time has come to hand over to someone else. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲