HAND

know something like the back of your hand

to know a place very well

e.g. He knew East London like the back of his hand.

could do something with one arm/hand tied behind their back

if someone could do something with one hand tied behind their back, they can do it very easily

e.g. Her part in the film wasn't very demanding - she could have played it with one hand tied behind her back.

A bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush).

something that you say which means it is better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something better

e.g. If I were you I'd accept the money they're offering. After all, a bird in the hand...

be a dab hand

to be very good at an activity

e.g. You should get Ann to have a look at that. She's a dab hand at getting stains out of clothes. [often + at]

e.g. I hear you're a dab hand with the paintbrush. (= you are good at painting) [often + with]

the dead hand of something

something that stops progress from being made

e.g. Economic development has been held back by the dead hand of bureaucracy.

can count something on the fingers of one hand

if you say that you can count things on the fingers of one hand, you are emphasizing that they are very rare

e.g. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times she's actually offered to buy me a drink.

first hand

if you experience something first hand, you experience it yourself

e.g. Many reporters based in the capital are experiencing the war first hand.

It is difficult to appreciate the scale of the problem without seeing the effects of the famine at first hand.

e.g. I've been a teacher for a long time, and have first-hand experience of the way these students behave. [always before noun]

give somebody a free hand

to allow someone to do whatever they think is necessary in a particular situation

e.g. His manager had given him a free hand to make whatever changes he felt necessary. [often + to do something]

have a free hand

e.g. The editor said I could have a free hand in designing the cover page. [sometimes + in + doing something]

hand in glove (American hand and glove)

if one person or organization is working hand in glove with another, they are working together, often to do something dishonest

e.g. It was rumoured at the time that some of the gangs were working hand in glove with the police.

hand over fist

if you make or lose money hand over fist, you make or lose large amounts of it very quickly

e.g. Business was good and we were making money hand over fist.

The hand that rocks the cradle (rules the world).

something that you say which means women are very powerful because they have most influence over the way in which children develop into adults

e.g. The article claimed that most of the world's dictators had very domineering mothers. You know what they say, the hand that rocks the cradle.

be in hand

if a plan or a situation is in hand, it is being dealt with

e.g. The arrangements for the party are all in hand so we don't need to worry about that.

have something in hand

e.g. After days of rioting, the troops now have the situation in hand. (= are dealing with the situation)

take somebody/something in hand

to start to deal with someone or something that is causing problems

e.g. Their youngest child needs taking in hand, if you ask me.

be on hand

to be near and ready if needed

e.g. Extra supplies will be on hand, should they be needed.

have somebody/something on hand

e.g. The new store has extra staff on hand to help customers pack their shopping. [often + to do something]

bite the hand that feeds you

to treat someone badly who has helped you in some way, often someone who has provided you with money

e.g. Leaving the company after they've spent three years training you up - it's a bit like biting the hand that feeds you.

close/near at hand

very near

e.g. To have a few basic shops and services near at hand is a great thing.

come/go cap in hand (American come/go hat in hand)

to ask someone for money or help in a way which makes you feel ashamed

e.g. I had to go cap in hand to my parents again to ask for some money. [often + to]

a firm/steady hand on the tiller

if someone has a firm hand on the tiller, they have a lot of control over a situation

e.g. A tiller is a long handle which is used to control the direction a boat travels.

e.g. What people want is a president with a firm hand on the tiller.

force somebody's hand

to make someone do something or to make someone do something sooner than they want to

e.g. I'm sure they don't want to reduce the price but if you threaten to pull out of the sale that might force their hand.

get out of hand

if a situation gets out of hand, it cannot be controlled any more

e.g. Things got a little out of hand at the party and three windows were broken.

e.g. In my first year at college my drinking got a bit out of hand.

go hand in hand

if two things go hand in hand, they exist together and are connected with each other

e.g. Crime usually goes hand in hand with poor economic conditions. [often + with]

have a hand in something

to be involved in something

e.g. The party was basically Kim's idea but I think Lisa had a hand in it too.

hold somebody's hand

to support someone when they are doing something difficult or frightening by being with them

e.g. 'I'm dreading giving that talk.' 'You'll be all right. I'll be there to hold your hand.'

I/You have to hand it to somebody

something that you say which means that you admire someone's achievement or you admire a quality in someone, even if you do not admire everything about that person

e.g. I don't especially like the man, but you've got to hand it to him, he's brave.

keep your hand in

to practise a skill often enough so that you do not lose the skill

e.g. I do a bit of teaching now and then just to keep my hand in.

lay a hand on somebody

to hurt someone

e.g. If you lay a hand on her I'll report you to the police.

e.g. I never laid a hand on her. [often negative]

live (from) hand to mouth

to have just enough money to live on and nothing extra

e.g. My father earned very little and there were four of us kids so we lived from hand to mouth.

hand-to-mouth

e.g. Low wages mean a hand-to-mouth existence for many people. [always before noun]

out of hand

if you refuse something out of hand, you refuse it completely without thinking about it or discussing it

e.g. Moving to London is certainly a possibility. I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

overplay your hand

to try to get more advantages from a situation than you are likely to get

e.g. I'm going to ask for promotion but I think it might be overplaying my hand to ask to work fewer hours as well.

put your hand in your pocket

to give money to charity organizations that collect money to give to poor people, ill people etc.

e.g. People are more inclined to put their hands in their pockets to help children.

put your hand on your heart

if you can put your hand on your heart and say something, you can say it knowing that it is the truth

e.g. I couldn't put my hand on my heart and say I'd never looked at another man.

hand on heart

e.g. Are you telling me, hand on heart, that you have never read anyone's private mail?

raise your hand against/to somebody

to hit someone, or to threaten to hit them

e.g. I would never raise my hand against a child.

show your hand

to tell people your plans or ideas, especially if you were keeping them secret before

When card players show their hand in a game of cards, they show the other players the cards they are holding, usually because they cannot continue to play the game.

e.g. I'm a bit reluctant to show my hand at this stage in the proceedings.

throw in your hand

to stop doing something because you know you cannot succeed or win

When card players throw in their hand, they put all their cards onto the table because they know that they will not be able to win the game.

e.g. I know it's unlikely that I'll get the job but I'm not going to throw in my hand just yet.

tip your hand

to let other people know what you are planning to do

e.g. Rumours still abound about Saling's next project but the actress has so far refused to tip her hand. [often negative]

try your hand at something

to try doing something for the first time

e.g. I might try my hand at a bit of Indian cooking.

turn your hand to something

if you say that someone could turn their hand to an activity or skill, you mean they could do it well although they have no experience of it

e.g. I'm sure you could turn your hand to a bit of writing if you wanted.

e.g. Stella's very talented. She could turn her hand to anything.

wait on somebody hand and foot

to do everything for someone so that they do not have to do anything for themselves

e.g. He just wants a woman to wait on him hand and foot.

give somebody a hand

to help someone do something, especially something that involves physical effort

e.g. Could you give me a hand with these boxes, Mike? [often + with]

e.g. Let me know when you're moving and I'll give you a hand.

lend (somebody) a hand

to help someone do something, especially something that involves physical effort

e.g. Could you lend me a hand with these books?

e.g. He's always willing to lend a hand in the kitchen.

a hand-me-down

a piece of clothing that used to belong to an older brother or sister and is now worn by a younger brother or sister

e.g. As a child I was always dressed in my sister's hand-me-downs and I longed for something new to wear. [usually plural]

an iron fist/hand in a velvet glove

something that you say when you are describing someone who seems to be gentle but is in fact severe and firm

e.g. To enforce each new law the president uses persuasion first, and then force - the iron hand in the velvet glove.

the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

something that you say which means that communication in an organization is bad so that one part does not know what is happening in another part

e.g. I was sent the same letter from two different departments. I get the feeling the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

the matter in hand (formal the matter at hand)

the subject or situation that is being thought about or talked about

e.g. Do these figures have anything to do with the matter in hand?

an old hand

someone who has done a particular job or activity for a long time and who can do it very well

e.g. She's an old hand at magazines, having trained on Cosmopolitan before editing Company. [often + at]

on the one hand...on the other hand

something that you say when you are speaking about two different facts or two opposite ways of thinking about a situation

e.g. On the one hand, I'd like more money, but on the other hand, I'm not prepared to work the extra hours in order to get it.

e.g. On the one hand, you complain that you're lonely, and on the other hand you won't come to parties with me.

have somebody in the palm of your hand, have somebody eating out of the palm of your hand

to have so much control over someone that they will do whatever you want them to do

e.g. She's got her boyfriend eating out of the palm of her hand.

e.g. It was such an amazing performance - he had the audience in the palm of his hand.

give/hand something to somebody on a plate

to let someone get something very easily, without having to work for it

e.g. You can't expect everything to be handed to you on a plate - you've got to make a bit of effort.

give/hand something to somebody on a (silver) platter

to let someone get something very easily, without having to work for it

e.g. If you sell your share in the company now, you're handing the ownership to him on a silver platter.

hand over the reins

to allow someone else to control something you controlled previously, especially an organization or a country

e.g. Company chiefs are often reluctant to hand over the reins of power to younger people.

e.g. I built up the business, but I handed over the reins to my daughter last year. [often + to]

somebody's right-hand man/woman

someone who helps you with your work and who you depend upon

e.g. How will the Director cope without his right-hand man, who resigned yesterday due to ill health?

sleight of hand

ways of deceiving people which you need skill to do

e.g. Some mathematical sleight of hand was required to make the figures add up.

quick, clever movements of your hands, especially when performing magic tricks

e.g. With impressive sleight of hand he produced two pigeons out of his top hat.

have your fingers/hand in the till

to steal money from the place where you work, usually from a shop

e.g. He had his fingers in the till, that's why he lost his job.

catch somebody with their fingers/hand in the till

e.g. Senior officials who get caught with their fingers in the till must expect to be punished very severely. [usually passive]

have the upper hand

if someone has the upper hand, they have a position of power and control over someone else, and if an emotion has the upper hand, it controls what you do

e.g. At half time, the Italian team seem to have the upper hand.

gain/get the upper hand

e.g. Government troops are gradually gaining the upper hand over the rebel forces. [often + over]

I shouldn't have read the letter, but curiosity got the upper hand.

have/hold the whip hand

to be the person or group that has the most power in a situation

e.g. So long as we rely on them for money, they have the whip hand.