not lift a finger (to help someone)

not lift a finger (to help someone)
not lift a finger (to help someone) & not lift a hand (to help someone)
Fig. to do nothing to help someone. (The

someone

is

anyone

with the negative.) •

They wouldn't lift a finger to help us.

Can you imagine that they wouldn't lift a finger?

Sally refused to lift a hand to help her own sister.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • not lift a finger — To take no action • • • Main Entry: ↑finger * * * not lift a finger informal phrase to not help someone at all Thesaurus: to not help someonesynonym Main entry …   Useful english dictionary

  • not lift a finger — (not) lift a finger to not help someone to do something, usually because you are lazy. He spends all day stretched out on the sofa and never lifts a finger to help. (usually + to do something) …   New idioms dictionary

  • (not) lift a finger —    Someone who does not lift a finger makes no effort to help or provide assistance when it is needed.     Many people saw the boy falling off his bike but not one of them lifted a finger …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • not lift a finger — informal to not help someone at all …   English dictionary

  • lift a finger — (not) lift a finger to not help someone to do something, usually because you are lazy. He spends all day stretched out on the sofa and never lifts a finger to help. (usually + to do something) …   New idioms dictionary

  • finger — [[t]fɪ̱ŋgə(r)[/t]] ♦♦ fingers, fingering, fingered 1) N COUNT Your fingers are the four long thin parts at the end of each hand. → See also light fingered She suddenly held up a small, bony finger and pointed across the room... She ran her… …   English dictionary

  • lift — lift1 W2S2 [lıft] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(move something upwards)¦ 2¦(part of the body)¦ 3¦(controls/laws)¦ 4¦(by plane)¦ 5 not lift a finger (to do something) 6 lift somebody s spirits 7¦(clouds/mist)¦ 8¦(sad feelings)¦ 9¦(use somebody s ideas/words)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • finger — fin|ger1 W2S2 [ˈfıŋgə US ər] n ↑finger, ↑fingernail, ↑thumb ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(part of your hand)¦ 2 cross your fingers 3 not lift/raise a finger 4 put your finger on something 5 not lay a finger on somebody 6 have/keep your finger on the pulse (of… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • finger — 1 noun (C) 1 PART OF YOUR HAND one of the four long thin parts on your hand, not including your thumb: She let sand run through her fingers. | Tim ran his finger along the windowsill. see also: index finger, little finger, middle finger, ring… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • lift — lift1 [ lıft ] verb *** ▸ 1 move to higher position ▸ 2 improve situation ▸ 3 officially end rule/law ▸ 4 steal ▸ 5 when weather improves ▸ 6 start feeling happier ▸ 7 make amount increase ▸ 8 dig plants from ground ▸ 9 talk more loudly ▸ 10… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • lift — 1 /lIft/ verb 1 MOVE STH WITH YOUR HANDS (T) to take something in your hands and raise it, move it, or carry it somewhere: He tried to lift the sleeping girl, but she was too heavy. | lift sth onto/out of/off etc: I lifted down my suitcase and… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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