on one's hands

on one's hands
{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In your care or responsibility; that you must do something about. * /Mrs. Blake left her five children with me while she shopped. I could not get anything done with the children on my hands./ * /After everyone bought tickets to the dance, the club treasurer had over $100 on his hands./ * /The electricity went off while Mother was cooking supper, and she had a problem on her hands./ * /I had time on my hands before the bus came, so I bought a newspaper to read./ Contrast: OFF ONE'S HANDS. See: SIT ON ONE'S HANDS. Compare: HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • In one's hands — Hand Hand (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h[ o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.] 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Off one's hands — Hand Hand (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h[ o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.] 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • On one's hands — Hand Hand (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h[ o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.] 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dirty one's hands — or[soil one s hands] {v. phr.} To lower or hurt one s character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. * /The teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in the examination./ * /I would not soil my hands by going with bad… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • dirty one's hands — or[soil one s hands] {v. phr.} To lower or hurt one s character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. * /The teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in the examination./ * /I would not soil my hands by going with bad… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • get\ one's\ hands\ on — • lay one s hands on • get one s hands on • put one s hands on v. phr. 1. To seize in order to punish or treat roughly. If I ever lay my hands on that boy he ll be sorry. Compare: lay a finger on 2. To get possession of. He was unable to lay his… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • lay\ one's\ hands\ on — • lay one s hands on • get one s hands on • put one s hands on v. phr. 1. To seize in order to punish or treat roughly. If I ever lay my hands on that boy he ll be sorry. Compare: lay a finger on 2. To get possession of. He was unable to lay his… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • put\ one's\ hands\ on — • lay one s hands on • get one s hands on • put one s hands on v. phr. 1. To seize in order to punish or treat roughly. If I ever lay my hands on that boy he ll be sorry. Compare: lay a finger on 2. To get possession of. He was unable to lay his… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • soil one's hands — See: DIRTY ONE S HANDS …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • soil one's hands — See: DIRTY ONE S HANDS …   Dictionary of American idioms

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