itching palm

itching palm
*an itchy palm & *an itching palm
Fig. [of a hand] in need of a tip. (As if placing money in the palm would stop the itching. *Typically: get \itching palm; have \itching palm; give someone \itching palm.) •

All the waiters at that restaurant have itchy palms.

The cabdriver was troubled by an itching palm. Since he refused to carry my bags, I gave him nothing.

Whenever he sees expensive luggage, the hotel doorman gets an itching palm.

* * *
{n.}, {slang} A wish for money; greed. * /He was born with an itching palm./ * /The bellboys in that hotel seem always to have itching palms./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • itching palm — {n.}, {slang} A wish for money; greed. * /He was born with an itching palm./ * /The bellboys in that hotel seem always to have itching palms./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • itching\ palm — noun slang A wish for money; greed. He was born with an itching palm. The bellboys in that hotel seem always to have itching palms …   Словарь американских идиом

  • itching palm — a wish for money, greed The guard at the border crossing has an itching palm so be careful of him …   Idioms and examples

  • itching palm — Synonyms and related words: acquisitiveness, avarice, avariciousness, avidity, avidness, covetousness, cupidity, frenzy of desire, fury of desire, gluttony, grasping, graspingness, greed, greediness, hoggishness, incontinence, inordinate desire,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • have an itching palm — To be greedy for financial gain • • • Main Entry: ↑itch …   Useful english dictionary

  • itching palm, have an —  Be greedy for money …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • palm — palm1 [päm] n. [ME palme < OE palm < L palma: so named because its leaf somewhat resembles the palm of the hand] 1. any of an order (Arecales) of tropical or subtropical monocotyledonous trees and shrubs, having a woody, usually unbranched …   English World dictionary

  • itching (or itchy) palm —    Someone who has an itching palm is greedy for money, for example tips or commission (as if putting money in the palm of their hand would ease the itch).     He s said to have an itching palm he does nothing without payment! …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • itching — itchingly, adv. /ich ing/, adj. 1. of, pertaining to, or characterized by an irritating sensation of the skin. 2. of, pertaining to, or having a longing or desire to do or have something: An itching public anxiously awaits her announcement. 3.… …   Universalium

  • palm — I n. part of the hand 1) to read smb. s palm ( to tell smb. s fortune ) 2) (misc.) to have an itching palm ( to have a great desire for money, bribes ); to grease smb. s palm ( to bribe smb. ) II n. a potted; royal palm * * * [pɑːm] royal palm to …   Combinatory dictionary

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