20 HAND Idioms You Should Know ✋
Hands appear in dozens of English idioms, often connected with control, skill, help, or responsibility. In this lesson, you’ll learn 20 common idioms with “hand”, their meanings, and clear example sentences to help you use them naturally in everyday English.
Let’s get started!
Be good with your hands
Meaning: to be skilled at making or fixing things.
Mary is good with her hands — she can fix almost anything around the house.
Give someone a big hand
Meaning: to applaud or praise someone.
Let’s give a big hand to our performers tonight!
Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: to be ungrateful or harm someone who helps or supports you.
He should be more respectful to his boss instead of biting the hand that feeds him.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Meaning: it’s better to keep what you already have than risk losing it for something uncertain.
I decided to accept the offer — a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Count something on the fingers of one hand
Meaning: to say something happens very rarely.
I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times he’s been late.
Catch someone red-handed
Meaning: to catch someone while they are doing something wrong.
The police caught him red-handed trying to steal a bike.
Cold hands, warm heart
Meaning: said to someone with cold hands, suggesting they are kind and caring.
Don’t worry about your cold hands — cold hands, warm heart!
Come to hand
Meaning: to become available or easy to find.
When the power went out, we used whatever candles came to hand.
Eat out of someone’s hand
Meaning: to be completely controlled or influenced by someone.
The children eat out of their grandmother’s hand — she spoils them.
Fall into someone’s hands
Meaning: to be captured or taken by someone, often unwillingly.
The documents fell into the wrong hands.
Game in hand
Meaning: an extra match yet to be played, giving an advantage in sports.
They’re second in the league but have a game in hand.
Get the upper hand
Meaning: to gain control or advantage in a situation.
After long negotiations, the company finally got the upper hand.
Hand in glove
Meaning: working very closely together, often secretly.
The two companies were working hand in glove to avoid competition.
Give someone a helping hand
Meaning: to help or assist someone.
She gave me a helping hand with my homework.
Rule with an iron hand (or iron fist)
Meaning: to control people very strictly.
The dictator ruled the country with an iron hand.
I’ve only got one pair of hands
Meaning: used to say you can’t do everything at once.
Please be patient — I’ve only got one pair of hands!
Know something like the back of your hand
Meaning: to know something extremely well.
He knows this city like the back of his hand.
My hands are tied
Meaning: you are unable to act because of rules or circumstances.
I’d love to help, but my hands are tied.
Old hand
Meaning: a person with a lot of experience.
She’s an old hand at teaching beginners.
Wait on someone hand and foot
Meaning: to serve someone constantly and attentively.
The staff waited on the guests hand and foot during the event.
Final thought
Hand idioms are incredibly common in everyday English and appear frequently in conversation, films, and writing. Learning them will help you sound more natural, expressive, and confident.
If you really want to learn English but don’t know how or where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us. Book an online English lesson with one of our certified and experienced English teachers and take a test and consultation! Tap the banner to learn more!
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2 Comments
Jean-Baptiste ALLOWANOU · 23 Apr 2024 at 6:22 pm
Thank you for this “knowledgeful” post. I’m looking forward to your next post.
20 SUN Idioms and Expressions - My Lingua Academy · 30 Jun 2024 at 1:17 pm
[…] 20 HAND idioms […]