Hand idioms

Hand-to-mouth

When you lead a hand-to-mouth existence you have just enough money to live.

• After her husband’s death she and her kids are leading a hand-to-mouth existence.
• The recession has forced many people to lead a hand-to-mouth existence.

Take your hands off (Don’t touch.)

• Take your hands off me. (= Don’t touch me.)
• Take your dirty hands off my flowers.

By hand

• She delivered the letter by hand. (= Not using the postal service)

A firm hand (strong control)

• Terrorists should be dealt with a firm hand.

Out of hand

If you reject something out of hand, you reject it without discussing.

• She rejected my proposal out of hand.
• His winning the first prize is a possibility – I wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand.

Have somebody in the palm of your hand

When you have somebody in the palm of your hand, you have absolute control over them.

• His performance was so marvelous that he had the spectators in the palm of his hand.

The matter in hand (Also the matter at hand)

The matter in hand is the subject being considered

• I don’t think that these incidences have any bearing on the matter in hand.

By : tatank,