What does hand mean

Crossword clues for hand

hand

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

hand

I.noun

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

an ordeal at the hands of sb (=used to say who has made someone go through something painful or difficult)

▪ She has only just revealed her ordeal at the hands of her stepfather.

ask for sb’s hand in marriageold-fashioned (= ask someone to marry you, or ask their parents for permission to marry)

▪ He asked my father for my hand in marriage.

be caught with your hands/fingers in the till (=to be caught stealing from your employer)

beat sb hands down (=beat someone very easily)

▪ He should be able to beat them all hands down.

calloused hands

▪ rough calloused hands

charge hand

clapped...hand over

▪ ‘Mick!’ She clapped her hand over her mouth. ‘I’d forgotten!’

clasp sb/sth in your hands/arms

▪ She clasped the photograph in her hands.

clasp your hands/arms around/behind sth

▪ Fenella leaned forward, clasping her hands around her knees.

clean hands

▪ Make sure you have clean hands before you eat.

close at hand (=very near)

▪ A variety of good restaurants are close at hand.

dismiss sth out of hand (=immediately, without thinking about it)

▪ It's an interesting idea so don't dismiss it out of hand.

dried...hands

▪ Mary dried her hands.

extended...hand (=offered to shake hands)

▪ George extended his hand.

fall into the wrong hands

▪ We must not let these documents fall into the wrong hands.

free hand

▪ He used his free hand to open the door.

get/buy sth second hand

▪ We got most of our furniture second hand.

give in/hand in an essay

▪ Half the class failed to hand in their essay on time.

give sb a big hand (=clap loudly)

give/lend/offer etc sb a helping hand

▪ She’s been giving me a helping hand with the children.

glove/hand/finger puppet

hand baggage (=a bag you are allowed to carry with you onto a plane)

▪ You are only allowed one item of hand baggage on the plane.

hand grenade

hand in your homework (=give homework you have done to your teacher)

▪ He always hands his homework in on time.

hand in your homework (=give it to the teacher)

▪ You must hand in your homework by Friday.

hand in your resignation (=say that you are going to leave an organization)

▪ I'm thinking of handing in my resignation.

hand job

hand luggage

hand out punishments (=give people punishments)

▪ The courts are handing out harsher punishments to reckless drivers.

hand sth down from generation to generation

▪ Native Australians hand down stories and songs from generation to generation.

hand tool

hand towel

hand/foot pump (=operated by your hand or foot)

hand/pass/give/send out a leaflet

▪ Students were handing out election leaflets at the station.

hands clasped...together

▪ She stood with her hands clasped tightly together.

hands down (=very easily or by a large amount)

▪ Everyone expected Sam to win hands down.

heard...second hand

▪ It may not be true – I only heard it second hand.

held out...hand

▪ He held out his hand to help her to her feet.

hired hand

hold hands (=hold each other’s hands)

▪ They sat holding hands under a tree.

hold sth in your hand/arms

▪ He was holding a knife in one hand.

▪ I held the baby in my arms.

hour hand

impose/hand down a sentence (=officially give someone a sentence)

▪ The judge imposed a three-year sentence.

in the hands of the receivers

▪ The business is in the hands of the receivers.

in the palm of his hand

▪ He held the pebble in the palm of his hand.

keep your mind on the job/task in/at hand

▪ Making notes is the best way of keeping your mind on the task at hand.

killed...with his bare hands

▪ He had killed a man with his bare hands.

know...like the back of my hand (=I know it very well)

▪ I grew up here; I know the place like the back of my hand.

lift your hand/arm/leg etc

▪ She lifted her hand to knock on the door once again.

▪ Pam lifted her shoulders in a little shrug.

minute hand

need a firm hand

▪ These children need a firm hand.

offer/extend the hand of friendship (=officially say that you want a friendly relationship)

▪ America extended the hand of friendship, but it was rejected.

outstretched arms/hands/fingers

▪ She ran to meet them with outstretched arms.

pair of hands/eyes/legs etc

▪ She felt as if every pair of eyes in the room was on her.

passed into the hands of

▪ Control of these services has now passed into the hands of the local authorities.

Raise...hand

▪ Raise your hand if you know the right answer.

rubbed...hands together

▪ He rubbed his hands together with embarrassment.

rubbing...hands with glee

▪ Manufacturers are rubbing their hands with glee as they prepare to cash in.

second hand

▪ We got most of our furniture second hand.

second hand

show of hands

▪ The dispute was settled with a show of hands.

sleight of hand

strengthen sb's hand (=make them more powerful)

▪ The controversy has strengthened the hand of her critics.

take your life in your hands (=put yourself in a dangerous situation)

▪ Just crossing this road is taking your life in your hands.

the hand brake (also the emergency brake the parking brake American English) (= one you apply with your hand, to stop the car moving when parked)

▪ I tried to drive off with the hand brake still on.

the hands of/on a clock (=the long thin pieces that point at the numbers)

▪ The hands on the clock said ten past two.

the matter at hand (also the matter in hand British English) (= the thing you are dealing with now)

▪ Do not let yourself be distracted from the matter in hand.

tie sb’s hands/arms/legs/feet

▪ One of them tied her hands behind her back.

wandering hands

▪ Be careful, he’s got wandering hands.

with your hands in your pockets

▪ I saw him wandering along the beach with his hands in his pockets.

your fate is in sb’s hands (=someone will decide what happens to you)

▪ His fate is now in the hands of the judge.

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADJECTIVE

free

▪ In return for a freer hand in the currency market private dealers were expected to play a more active role in industrial investment.

▪ He loosened his tie with his free hand.

▪ Mrs Sweet reached her free hand down to his flies.

▪ Lucia started backing up her books with a free hand.

▪ Then Sir Alfred pulled in in his Bentley and promised me a free hand to design a car that worked.

▪ Get a free hand to change work rules.

▪ Ruth shook her head and then with her free hand scooped her hair back from her face.

▪ It turns them on and gives them a free hand to be as obnoxious as they want.

left

▪ Isabel raised her left hand and peered at the ring in the dim light cast by the clock-candle burning near the bed.

▪ It was worn on the left hand, so as not to hinder sword play.

▪ He stood in the doorway holding the thirty-eight in his right hand, with his left hand grasping his right wrist.

▪ The Blairites' right hand seems not to know-dares not find out-what its left hand is doing.

▪ Repeat the exercise, then do the same for the left hand.

▪ She wore a leather mitten on her left hand while her right was bare.

▪ But during batting practice a line drive slammed off his left hand, and he had to be scratched.

other

▪ On the other hand specialists could thrive.

▪ On the other hand sentiment is changing the way in which hostile takeovers are regarded.

▪ Lawyers, on the other hand, often call for changing even settled practice in midgame.

▪ Rheme position, on the other hand, is prominent on an overall discourse level.

▪ Group B, on the other hand, seems a little anomalous.

▪ On the other hand the public would want inspectors to be independent of the school being inspected.

▪ If on the other hand they wished him to go, he should be told immediately so that the could leave quietly.

▪ On the other hand, the lesser light-grasp is not really important for most kinds of viewing.

right

▪ Morenz used his right hand to bring out his passport.

▪ He insisted there was some-thing about his right hand-the hand that delivered the knockout punch-that was strange.

▪ Gritting his teeth against the pain, he made a grab with his right hand and ripped the knife from its sheath.

▪ Edney holds the ball with his right hand and uses his left shoulder for protection.

▪ Without warning his right hand swiped in retaliation at her mouth, splitting her lip.

▪ There will be a little clock in the lower right hand corner that will tick down.

▪ Pausing at the door he turned once more and extended the middle finger of his right hand towards the bed.

strong

▪ During his election campaign Demirel had spoken of the need for a strong hand in dealing with Kurdish guerrillas.

▪ No more to trouble earth or the sea waters With their strong hands, Laboring for the food that does not satisfy.

▪ His strong hand cupped her fist and held it.

▪ Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?

▪ A strong hand, long-fingered, brown.

▪ If he bids high, is he bluffing, or does he actually hold a strong hand?

▪ At first Dinah had smacked her hard on the bare bottom with her thin strong hand.

upper

▪ Now White gains the upper hand.

▪ Once your groin gets the upper hand, you lose the ability to reason.

▪ My son usually has the upper hand because he's older.

▪ In the South, the right-wing Rhee supporters clearly had the upper hand.

▪ For a fleeting second she allowed herself to revel in the unaccustomed feeling of having the upper hand over him.

▪ It was a curious shell game in which each side thought it had the upper hand.

▪ And the loss of a fight in which greens seemed to have the upper hand is hard to take.

■ NOUN

side

▪ Left or right hand side zip available.

▪ You will find the camera button located close to the hand-grip on the right hand side of the body.

▪ Each pilot had a separate door on the right hand side, off a wing walk.

▪ In a formal display the left and right hand side are exactly the same.

▪ It shows the length of the factory with the Design Studio on the right hand side.

▪ Sidebar a vertical bar positioned usually on the right hand side of the screen.

▪ Trouble too on lower panel, right hand side, he wrote.

▪ Take a clean sheet of paper and use only the left hand side.

■ VERB

change

▪ It is unclear whether it has recently changed hands.

▪ More than 3 million shares changed hands, more than 14 times the six-month average of 204, 524 shares.

▪ We've each had our hot streaks, I won't deny: the whammy has changed hands many times.

▪ In 1989, after several years of lagging profits, Lechmere changed hands as a result of a management-led leveraged buyout.

▪ Ecstasy tablets now change hands for £20 a time.

▪ Some 68. 33 million shares changed hands.

▪ The price at which tenancies change hands is currently within the range £115,000 to £155,000.

▪ No money changed hands, he said.

clap

▪ Paul claps his hand to his head three or four times.

▪ They were just slowly crawling around. l clapped my hands over them.

▪ He wanted to clap his hands to the music, but didn't.

▪ Dad clapped his hands over his cheeks when the thunderbolt struck.

▪ Every morning when we got to school we were allowed to play until Mrs Donnan stood outside and clapped her hands.

▪ There was a terrific amount of noise and laughter and the clapping of hands.

▪ The Night Superintendent clapped her hands for silence.

▪ The Times Squares clap their hands, change partners, and do-si-do.

clasp

▪ Susan clasped her hands because she was trembling, but the tension in her locked fingers only made her shake the more.

▪ Fontaine clasped his hands in his lap.

▪ The carer then asks the patient to clasp his hands together, and helps him to do this.

▪ The judge sat down and clasped his hands.

▪ Magrat clasped her hands together and looked down, biting her knuckles.

▪ The president straightened the ribbons, clasped his hands and appeared to pray.

▪ The Scarabae clasped their hands, pleased.

▪ He switched channels with the remote, clasped his hands behind his head.

cup

▪ Trying by cupping his hand over the clasps to avoid the penetrating clicks of opening, George lifted the lid.

▪ She stood with the table crumbs cupped in one hand.

▪ He then shuffled around the room cupping his hand around the chimneys and blowing out one lamp after another.

▪ The 75, 000 football fans crammed into the cupped hands of Sun Devil Stadium.

▪ Grainne took the hot fragrant wine gratefully, and cupped her hands about the goblet for warmth.

▪ He cupped his hand over his thing as if it were a flame that might blow out.

▪ Then she cupped her hands around Jack's face and gently pulled him to his feet.

▪ All stood anxiously waiting with camp cups in hand.

extend

▪ Recovering quickly, he smiled in return and extended his hand.

▪ Father Tim extended his hands and indicated a small distance between them.

▪ Cornelius paused a moment to extend his right hand.

▪ He wore a yellow-brown silk cloak with cotton trim; his sleeves were long, extending over his hands.

▪ As Jess passes by Jody, the coach extends her hand to be slapped.

▪ Marie extended her hand graciously, inclined her head, thanked me.

▪ She extends her hand and they shake.

fall

▪ Primo reaches for his wallet, lets it fall open in his hand and slips out a five.

▪ Such colour as there was drained from her face, and what was left of the biscuit fell from her hand.

▪ Pentagon officials say they have already had some success reducing the risk that nuclear materials will fall into the wrong hands.

▪ The revolver nearly fell from my hands, and my whole body froze with fear.

▪ He lurched sideways and fell to his hands and knees on the stone steps.

▪ Everything falls neatly to hand, and all switches and indicators are clearly marked.

▪ Menelaus drew his sword, his only weapon now, but as he did so it fell from his hand broken.

hold

▪ He hadn't given her flowers, or held her hand in the cinema or left meaningful messages on her answerphone.

▪ He held her hand tightly and led her across the street.

▪ After being counted one more time, still holding Elizabeth's hand I followed the crocodile miserably through darkened rooms.

▪ He longed to be holding one in his hands.

▪ Arlene held out her hand for him, stretched it flat, from fingertip to elbow, against the tabletop.

▪ Lucker holds my hand with the kind of grasp that men at sea learn as a last resort.

▪ Condrey said he was still holding Higgins' hand when they walked into the water, fully clothed.

keep

▪ An ambulance was kept at hand.

▪ Several blocks of the same size are kept on hand to represent buildings.

▪ And keep your hands off Maria.

▪ Since she left City Hall, Zimmerman has kept a hand in politics.

▪ He moved slowly and cautiously, and kept his hands in clear view.

▪ He kept his hand on Hughes's sleeve.

▪ Always keep hand cream available in kitchen and bathroom and rub it in frequently.

▪ Like those people who keep washing their hands over and over.

lay

▪ I laid a hand on his hair.

▪ Stuyvesant responded by laying hands on To bias Feake, who delivered the document, arresting and eventually banishing him.

▪ He lay stiff on her hand, small, cold and useless.

▪ He was driven finally into telling her that he would lay hands upon her if she did not stop talking.

▪ Terran employees who still had the faculty of independent mobility fled, understandably, with everything they could lay their hands on.

▪ I lay a hand on his chest and felt him breathe, mile after mile through the Kentucky night.

▪ The baby was kicking, at night Alan lay with his hand on her side and felt the repeated thrusting movements.

▪ The court officers tell me they can lay their hands on a block of tickets.

lift

▪ He used to lift his hands high off the keyboard, which was my first lesson in the value of showmanship.

▪ I lift my hand and watch a melted blade of light move across my flesh.

▪ I lifted my hand and, acknowledging my recognition of him, I smiled.

▪ When the shrieks of his gang became too much, he lifted his hand and his face took on a furious look.

▪ She went to the door of the room Alice had been in, and lifted her hand as if to knock.

▪ I did not frighten her further by going over to her but lifted my hand and continued on my way.

▪ It was opened almost before Howarth had lifted his hand to ring.

▪ I lift my hand to direct him to the landing, and just like that it hits me.

pass

▪ The dew vanished from the flowers; they began to lose their freshness and to wilt, passing from hand to hand.

▪ She was passed from hand to hand.

▪ He passed his hands through his hair, clutching the wheel silently, dashboard dials glowing.

▪ On impulse, he reached out and passed his hand through the vapour.

▪ She brought him his sandwich and soda, placing it down like a mommy, passing a hand through his wet hair.

▪ But from that day, too, events began to pass out of their hands.

▪ Coins, jewelry, postage stamps, a Matisse litho, all passed through my hands.

place

▪ Her affairs were placed in the hands of the Court of Protection, which appointed Mrs B receiver.

▪ She placed a small delicate hand on it and bade Miriam good-night.

▪ Rising slowly to his feet, he placed both hands on the table and leaned forward to face Jonadab.

▪ I placed my hand among the grey curlicues of Hugh's fallen chest.

▪ As she placed her hands trustingly in his, he moved out of the strong light and she saw his face.

▪ He placed his free hand tentatively on the soft flesh.

▪ Standing with your feet together, place your left hand on your stomach.

▪ And then, with no less care than command, I placed his hand on the front of my trousers.

press

▪ Remembering the cup in her pocket, she pressed her hand over the flap to hide it.

▪ He tried to force her voice lower by keeping his soft and pressing his hands downward.

▪ She pressed a hand to her bosom to try to still the wild fluttering of her heart.

▪ Several parishioners had pressed envelopes into his hand.

▪ Keeping the body rigid, press with the hands until the arms are straight.

▪ Yes, the missionary ladies agreed, as they pressed money into her hands.

▪ Harriet pressed a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes.

▪ Add the melted butter in a stream, while mixing until it holds together when pressed in your hand.

put

▪ Some months later it dawned on me that he had put his hands on my head and what this implied!

▪ Luther put his hand inside his suit jacket.

▪ She put her hand defiantly on his arm and glared at the ring of faces.

▪ He put out his hand to stop her as she went by.

▪ But before we part, come, put your hand on this stone.

▪ You know, I put my hand inside his shirt and I feel like some one else is doing it.

▪ Anna Harland put her hand on her daughter's arm, and smiled at them.

▪ Dunne put his hands in the air.

raise

▪ Gaunt raised his hand as if welcoming the plaudits of the crowd.

▪ Carla raises her hand as if she were at school.

▪ Zach gave a long ghostly moan and raised his hands.

▪ Sev eral times he raised his hand to knock, but each time he let it drop.

▪ Then they raised their hands in the air and gave three cheers.

▪ She raised a hand to her hair.

▪ She raised her hand to hail a cab but the Paris traffic was zooming by at its usual break-neck pace.

▪ Perhaps I simply raise my hand.

reach

▪ Ash reached one hand out across the table and spilled my brandy into my lap.

▪ He had reached out his hand to try to pat her on the arm and noticed how erratic his own movements were.

▪ Then he reaches back with his hand and rubs his foot with it.

▪ She reached out with both hands.

▪ He reached his hand down to tilt her chin or did she raise it to anticipate him?

▪ The men reach out their hands and eat.

▪ She reached up to lock her hands behind his neck, her mouth parting beneath his.

▪ I reach for my hand mirror for confirmation.

rub

▪ Soccer Western agents rub hands over the prospect of an eastern defection Talking Point.

▪ I put a few drops on my palms and rubbed my hands together.

▪ He rubbed one in his hands to thaw it for me and barked at Nina, the black-haired girl.

▪ She rubbed her hands in his hair.

▪ He rubbed his hands on his pants, blew on his fingers, and put them back into his pockets.

▪ I can see the disinfectant manufactures rubbing their hands with glee, confident of selling still stronger-smelling concoctions.

▪ Lee rubbed his long-fingered hands together; he wondered where to start.

run

▪ Again he ran his left hand through his hair, but this time he felt a tingle of anticipation.

▪ He tugged on the ends of the billowing wig and ran his hands over it, pressing it to his head.

▪ She ran a hand through her hair and glanced up at the fighters again, one arm linked through Plummer's.

▪ I took a deep breath and ran my hands along my body.

▪ Then run your hand across the surface in order to detect any bumps or depressions not visible to the eye.

▪ McMurphy takes off his cap and runs his hands into that red hair.

▪ He resisted the temptation, leaning back in his seat, running a hand across his forehead.

▪ At the top of the meadow I reached back to run my hand over the few wispy hairs on his scalp.

shake

▪ They embraced Rose a second time and everybody shook hands.

▪ They shook hands and got in their cars and went home to supper.

▪ Then suddenly an old man pushed his way through to me and shook my hand.

▪ As he finished his set, Popper shook hands with the wheelchair-bound youngsters and passed out harmonicas to each.

▪ The guests were crowding slowly past the wedded couple, kissing them, shaking their hands.

▪ When he shakes hands, it reminds him of somebody else.

▪ He then shook my hand, wished me luck and returned to his home.

▪ They shake hands, kiss greetings, exchange news and rumors, and take snapshots of each other.

take

▪ Harry had taken her hand to help her up the last flight and they were both laughing like schoolchildren on an adventure.

▪ Why do generally honest employees take from the hand that feeds them?

▪ She took my hand, and played with my bracelet - and her fingers, her wrist were just bones.

▪ Mr Enders had taken her by the hand and led her to the front of the crowd.

▪ On reaching the toes, take your hands back to the head and sweep downwards again.

▪ Annie said, rising in her weary fashion, taking my hand.

▪ Don't wait for a muse to come take your hand.

▪ She reached back and took him in her hand.

throw

▪ Sophie threw her hands up in despair.

▪ The rector leaned forward and threw up his hand.

▪ Davide had seen the priests, who had shrugged and thrown up their hands indolently at the laundress's problem.

▪ Even his most recent wife, Mercedes, had thrown up her hands.

▪ At times they threw their hands up to their faces in true Macaulay Culkin style and almost screamed the roof off.

▪ Elmer throws him a hand of hay and pours a scoop of sweet feed into his trough.

▪ Here Abie threw up his hands at the ignorance of policemen.

▪ With two out, he stumbled from the mound and landed on his throwing hand and came out of the game.

wash

▪ The sooner it washes its hands of Mr Haider the better.

▪ I no longer had to stoop to wash my hands in public restrooms.

▪ Tell the kids to wash their hands and come in here when the programme's ended.

▪ I wash my hands quickly and flee from the restroom.

▪ Just wash your hands and then come back.

▪ She ate something, gave Ollie some oatmeal and softened toast, cleaned him up, washed her face and hands.

▪ Then, and only then, was it realised she had taken it off when she had washed her hands.

▪ Maybe he should wash his hands.

wave

▪ Then she smiled, waved her hand weakly, and was gone.

▪ He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, waved his hand, and sat there.

▪ She remembered him propped up by the nurses, waving his little hands about.

▪ He waves his hand round and round to show the globe-encircling blue ring of cold material sinking into the earth.

▪ As if he sensed their homage the Kha-Khan elect waved a hand in dismissal.

▪ Shoba had been waving her hand and trying to get attention.

▪ He waved his beringed hand at Thérèse.

▪ He sat there looking up, and waving a hand in the Esso-blue evening.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

(at) first hand

▪ Students in the program are exposed first hand to college life.

▪ The school deals first hand with all the problems of today's society.

▪ Eventually divers provided first hand evidence that sea otters use rocks as hammers under water to dislodge the abalones.

▪ Primary data is collected by the researcher at first hand, mainly through surveys, interviews, or participant observation.

▪ Released from prison, Rudd travelled around the country, undertaking surveys and checking information at first hand.

▪ The visit lasted over an hour during which time Neil Kinnock experienced at first hand what carpet manufacturing was all about.

▪ These two boys say nothing to me as they get in, first handing their weapons to their friends.

▪ Work is developed from first hand sources and observed drawing.

▪ Your letters were very welcome, but I still want to hear everything at first hand.

(have) sb's blood on your hands

▪ But I already have too much blood on my hands.

▪ Dad with blood on his hands.

▪ He hated to see her with blood on her hands.

▪ I want him to know he has my son's blood on his hands.

▪ Republicans spent eight years trying to prove President Clinton had blood on his hands.

▪ There's blood on my hands, mine or hers I don't know.

▪ There was blood on his hands and I thought he'd had an accident.

I've only got one pair of hands

I/you can count sb/sth on (the fingers of) one hand

a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)

a firm hand

▪ A firm hand on the reins?

▪ Although he runs the operation with a firm hand, the Steelers are more like a family than any other team.

▪ Finally fold the ribbon back on itself and press the strain relief device into position with firm hand pressure.

▪ In fact, a firm hand might have steered the team on the rocks.

▪ In other respects careful management and a firm hand pushed up the royal income.

▪ Lizzy would need a firm hand after this.

▪ The guests had been selected with a boldness and discrimination in which the initiated recognized the firm hand of Catherine the Great.

▪ When Barkley Ball was at its peak, there was little need for a firm hand.

a helping hand

▪ A few guidelines are all that is needed: Be considerate of others, give a helping hand, be safe.

▪ Britain's champion in the sport has been lending a helping hand.

▪ Everyone had a view: The proposal was an insult, a helping hand, a roadblock, a learning aid.

▪ He wasn't even offering her a helping hand, she brooded.

▪ People do need a helping hand.

▪ The Basques, romantics to a man, believed that Fate would give Biarritz a helping hand.

▪ Today, George is still going strong, giving his son, Robin a helping hand with the ploughing.

▪ Which makes it an excellent jumping off point if you need a helping hand.

a safe pair of hands

an extra pair of hands

▪ But an extra pair of hands is still needed, especially during busy periods.

▪ The clinical teacher should be part of the ward team, but must resist becoming an extra pair of hands.

▪ We could visit a theatre, and there would be an extra pair of hands in the garden.

be a dab hand at/with sth

▪ However, they might be a dab hand at needlework or crochet.

▪ She was a dab hand at couplets, was Rosie.

▪ They should be dab hands with the diapers, and more in touch with their emotions.

▪ Workers at the Wellingborough factory are dab hands at turning out unusual orders.

be an old hand (at sth)

▪ Helms is an old hand at backroom politics.

▪ Blue is an old hand at such compositions and has never had any trouble with them.

▪ Habitat is an old hand at changing habits of a lifetime.

▪ Pete Zimmerman is an old hand at water initiatives.

▪ These were old hands, and Dawn Run was effectively still a novice.

▪ We are old hands in the public-school system.

be in safe hands

▪ Parents want to make sure they're leaving their children in safe hands.

▪ Ambulances arrived, Ivor and Pauline were in safe hands.

▪ I believed he was in safe hands.

▪ If we can tap it successfully - our future is in safe hands.

▪ My neck and hand were in safe hands-four of them.

▪ So if it was going to get rough she couldn't be in safer hands.

be putty in sb's hands

be rubbing your hands

▪ And ace marksman Aldo is rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect.

▪ Battle is joined and lawyers are rubbing their hands in anticipation.

▪ Frankie was rubbing his hands together and Chopper merely nodded now and then with a silly expression on his face.

▪ Good quality barley is making £151 a tonne so, not unnaturally, both farmers and merchants are rubbing their hands.

▪ He was rubbing your hands to warm you up.

▪ Players' agents and satellite salesmen will be rubbing their hands with glee.

▪ The doctor was rubbing her hands, probably to warm them, but it looked like a gesture of glee and greed.

▪ Thousands of people will be rubbing their hands with glee.

bite the hand that feeds you

▪ If I put my prices up, it's like biting the hand that feeds me - it's economic suicide.

▪ It is hard to bite the hand that feeds you.

▪ Somehow, without guidance and peer influence, cricketers are apt to bite the hand that feeds them.

▪ They are not normally going to bite the hand that feeds them.

▪ This appears to be a new version of biting the hand that feeds you.

bury your face/head in your hands

capable hands

▪ But they weren't capable hands.

▪ I am glad that the business continues to flourish in the capable hands of Rodney Shipsey - the third generation.

▪ I leave it all in your strong, capable hands.

▪ It was no affair of his that she had left the London studio in the capable hands of her assistant.

▪ May the Town Crier remain in the very capable hands of the college students and lecturers for a long time to come.

▪ Think penitent ... and in less capable hands, downright dull.

▪ You are in my capable hands.

change hands

▪ The theater recently changed hands.

▪ But even this little collection of cottage garden produce won't change hands without some stern bargaining.

▪ He had also been talking for ages to Broadman, and Ymor had seen a piece of paper change hands.

▪ In 1989, after several years of lagging profits, Lechmere changed hands as a result of a management-led leveraged buyout.

▪ More than 3 million shares changed hands, more than 14 times the six-month average of 204, 524 shares.

▪ Mr Adams's defeat in the only Northern Ireland seat to change hands was widely welcomed by nationalist and Unionist politicians.

▪ No money changed hands, he said.

▪ The price at which tenancies change hands is currently within the range £115,000 to £155,000.

▪ The property went into foreclosure and changed hands several times.

clean hands

▪ Bull leaned out of the window, gripping the edge of the crumbling sill with spotlessly clean hands.

▪ I wish I had discovered his method of undertaking glassfibre repairs with clean hands and no brush years ago.

▪ No one comes to the bargaining table with thoroughly clean hands, but we can be thankful that they still show up.

▪ Out of this sordid mix of political short-sightedness and commercial greed, no government emerges with clean hands.

▪ The patient himself may pick one up with clean hands, but no one else.

▪ Their support is based on a belief that the left governments have clean hands and have improved municipal services.

cup your hand(s)

▪ Sara cupped her hand around the match until it burned steadily.

▪ Grainne took the hot fragrant wine gratefully, and cupped her hands about the goblet for warmth.

▪ He cupped his hand around his mouth.

▪ He cupped his hand over his thing as if it were a flame that might blow out.

▪ He then shuffled around the room cupping his hand around the chimneys and blowing out one lamp after another.

▪ Periodically, Felix will turn to Manny, cup his hand and explain to him what has been said.

▪ Then she cupped her hands around Jack's face and gently pulled him to his feet.

▪ Trying by cupping his hand over the clasps to avoid the penetrating clicks of opening, George lifted the lid.

dirty your hands

either side/end/hand etc

▪ A pipe-freezing kit makes two plugs of ice either side of the joint so that you can cut through the pipes.

▪ A trained work elephant then moved up on either side, rather like tugs docking a ship.

▪ Fry bacon, turning until brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes either side.

▪ On either side of each barrier it leaves similar pockets of high and low cloud cover, of arid and lush terrain.

▪ On either side of the road are groves of guava trees.

▪ The guns chattered out either side of our Huey.

▪ The hall takes up the central bay through the two storeys; the dining- and drawing-rooms are on either side.

▪ White dunes made walls on either side of them.

fall into the hands/clutches of sb

▪ Somehow, the plans fell into the hands of an enemy spy.

▪ And for all that, I have fallen into the hands of the Robemaker, he thought angrily.

▪ It must never fall into the clutches of a political party again.

▪ The power to play or not fell into the hands of program director Crocker and his peers around the country.

fall/get into the wrong hands

▪ A crossed cheque therefore gives some protection against fraud if it falls into the wrong hands.

▪ And images of Kurds on tape could fall into the wrong hands.

▪ But some gun dealers have stopped selling replicas, because they're worried about them falling into the wrong hands.

▪ Cards falling into the wrong hands cost the industry three hundred pounds every minute.

▪ I will never allow Kirsty to fall into the wrong hands.

▪ Pentagon officials say they have already had some success reducing the risk that nuclear materials will fall into the wrong hands.

▪ Voice over Mr Foulkes is seeking Government safeguards to prevent Rayo from falling into the wrong hands.

force sb's hand

▪ The governor is trying to force the legislature's hand on this issue.

give (sb) a hand

▪ After George had left his basket at home he gave Willie a hand.

▪ Even so, some one would usually give me a hand or watch, with amusement, from the corners of their eyes.

▪ I gave her a hand packing up her clothes and stuff.

▪ I gave her hand a quick, cautious squeeze.

▪ It shows that some one out there is thinking of us, and giving us a hand along in the world.

▪ Léonie said to Rose: I'd like to give you a hand.

▪ Please, man, give me a hand!

give sb a free hand/rein

▪ They've given me a free hand with the budget, as long as I stay under $10,000.

▪ Both these factors gave him a freer hand to negotiate.

▪ He's given me a free hand to buy horses.

▪ I would discuss the script, say, on proportional representation, and then give him free rein.

▪ It turns them on and gives them a free hand to be as obnoxious as they want.

▪ No advanced industrial nation gives corporations a freer hand in busting unions.

▪ No, it was thanks to my culinary abilities that Marie-Claude gave me free rein of both her kitchen and her bedchamber.

▪ Then I pretty much give them free rein.

▪ While watching him at work she impulsively asked to borrow his materials and followed his advice to give her imagination free rein.

go cap in hand (to sb)

▪ Advertisers used to go to museums, cap in hand, to ask permission to use a painting for an advertisement.

grubby hands/paws/mitts

▪ Benedict imprisoned her closer, oblivious to her grubby hands caught against the pristine whiteness of his neckcloth.

▪ Every grubby penny I can get my grubby hands on, every grubby day of my grubby little life..

▪ The children are fighting under the tank, catching drips like diamonds in their grubby hands.

guiding light/hand/star

▪ And that is what Aeneas's young son did under the guiding hand of Alecto.

▪ Eddie was his hero, his guiding light.

▪ Father Peter, its guiding light, was also its provider of funds and sustenance.

▪ That will be the guiding light of the next Labour government.

▪ To followers, he is more than just a guiding light - he is the Messiah.

▪ Under Mr Yarrow's guiding hand, the reputation of the school was untarnished, these five long years.

hand in your notice/give (your) notice

hand/give/offer sb sth on a plate

have sb eating out of your hand

▪ He's brilliant in job interviews -- he always manages to get the panel eating out of his hand.

▪ I introduced Mr Wilkinson to my mother, and within minutes she had him eating out of her hand.

▪ In a second or two a man might have these boys eating out of his hand.

have the whip hand

▪ With the advent of term limits in the state Legislature, Orange County will have the whip hand.

have your hands/fingers in the till

have/gain the upper hand

▪ Police have gained the upper hand over the drug dealers in the area.

▪ But slowly and surely the followers of Chaos gained the upper hand.

▪ If the two had been introduced simultaneously, the larger one would invariably have the upper hand.

▪ Now White gains the upper hand.

▪ Officials said they might reopen the freeway at 5 p. m. today, perhaps sooner if firefighters gain the upper hand overnight.

▪ The world can only pray that they do not gain the upper hand.

▪ Under the proposed law, she would have the upper hand.

▪ We must destroy them now, while we yet have the upper hand.

▪ When you have a gun you have the upper hand, it makes you feel big, bad.

have/hold sth in your hot little hand

hold/have sb in the palm of your hand

▪ She's got the whole committee in the palm of her hand.

join hands

▪ I have a message of hope: the time has come to join hands.

▪ Li expressed the hope that the two developing powers join hands to develop high-tech industries, especially information technology.

▪ Physician and theologian join hands in assigning responsibility.

▪ They joined hands, they twirled round and round and round.

▪ They want to join hands and share.

▪ They would not on any account join hands with Lucifer.

▪ With that, doctor and patient joined hands and bowed their heads as Keys prayed.

keep your hands off sb/sth

▪ And keep your hands off Maria.

▪ But today with his mind too preoccupied to work he seemed quite unable to keep his hands off it.

▪ Couldn't keep our hands off each other.

▪ I could not keep my hands off them.

▪ The government should keep its hands off content.

▪ They had been unable to keep their hands off each other.

▪ They should stay out where they belong - keep their hands off our people.

knacker your elbow/hand etc

lay a hand/finger on sb

▪ He wouldn't dare lay a finger on any of us.

▪ I laid a hand on his hair.

▪ I lay a hand on his chest and felt him breathe, mile after mile through the Kentucky night.

▪ If she laid a hand on him, what could he do besides run for it?

▪ Some one laid a hand on me.

▪ Stuyvesant responded by laying hands on To bias Feake, who delivered the document, arresting and eventually banishing him.

▪ The odds are that the young man would not have laid a finger on her, but what if ...?

lend (sb) a hand

▪ Lend me a hand with this box.

▪ He may have lent a hand in the construction of the Jefferys pocket watch and even of H-4.

▪ I just thought I'd come up and lend a hand.

▪ I met them leeward of the middle vehicle, where they lent a hand to tip the wheelbarrow into a stable position.

▪ Joe lent a hand to all, and supplied much of the muscle.

▪ Nick and I laid out tow ropes to the bow of the raft, and cajoled bystanders to lend a hand.

▪ Shuttleworth Collection have supplied a copy of the engine manual - who else can lend a hand?

▪ Uncle Jack fell into the latter category, Ursula vehemently rejecting his offer to lend a hand.

▪ Women came by from other camps to lend a hand, bringing prashad.

live from hand to mouth

▪ He lived from hand to mouth making instant resolves every time he opened his mail.

▪ Teacher To live from hand to mouth.

not soil your hands

▪ Keep your drug money - I wouldn't want to soil my hands with it.

offer your hand (to sb)

▪ An old woman sat veiled in black in a corner; toward whom people nodded or quickly offered their hand.

▪ Delia Sutherland offered her hand to a young girl in an overall.

▪ Jotan was getting slowly to his feet, offering his hand to Arkhina.

▪ We have offered our hand again and again.

▪ When I look down toward his waist, I see that he has covertly offered his hand.

overplay your hand

▪ By opposing even a moderate ban on assault weapons, the gun lobby has overplayed its hand.

▪ Eventually, however, Safdarjung overplayed his hand.

▪ If his opponents were intent on overplaying their hand, it could only improve his position with the cardinal.

▪ Should she spell it out to him, or would that fatally overplay her hand?

▪ The unions overplayed their hand in the end.

▪ This drove a much harder bargain and, it has been suggested, represents the moment at which Edward overplayed his hand.

play into sb's hands

▪ And what good you, you silly fool, playing into my hands like this?

▪ It plays into the hands of the opposition.

▪ It would be playing into his hands to react to his deliberate teasing.

▪ Such action, I believed - and still believe - would have played into the hands of my enemies.

▪ This, the futures industry frets, would play into the hands of Rep.

▪ We should be careful not to play into the hands of murderers.

▪ Whatever he did would play into the hands of Isambard, whose traps were always dual, and could not be evaded.

press sb's hand/arm

put your hand/foot/arm out

▪ Everyone puts his hand out, from cabinet ministers to loan underwriters.

▪ He put his hand out and there was Lily, quiet and warm beside him.

▪ He put his hand out, touching his father's cheek.

▪ Minna put her hands out and I handed her the divorce.

▪ She tottered, and put her arms out.

▪ Vern put his hand out this time.

▪ When she put her hand out, trying to rise, she skittled a row of bottles.

rule sb with an iron fist/hand

shake sb's hand/shake hands with sb

show your hand

▪ He said that he wouldn't be bullied into showing his hand first.

▪ At Michaelmas 1183 Henry showed his hand.

▪ For one thing he needed hard evidence, and to get it he would have to show his hand.

▪ Kingfisher was forced to show its hand after rumours that a bid was in the offing began to circulate on Tuesday.

▪ Not the time to show our hand.

▪ Now the government has shown its hand.

▪ Though nobody on the government side had shown his hand, it was hardly necessary.

▪ When Dastmalchi called and showed his hand, Tom knew the game was up.

sit on your hands

▪ Most delegates sat on their hands while a few radicals took control of the discussion.

▪ So we sat on our hands about Sally, because we thought the stakes were higher than the National Enquirer.

stand on your head/hands

▪ A malevolent demon was standing on his head.

▪ And the hoops were made by soldiers, who turned over and stood on their hands and feet.

▪ I can do it standing on my head, although I won't.

▪ Maybe I have to stand on my head to prove I mean it.

▪ She had a washboard stomach, and her boyfriend would stand on his hands on chairs balanced above her.

▪ Somehow the doctrine of the Fall had been stood on its head.

▪ Susan was teaching Wyatt how to stand on his hands.

▪ We did; the moment the car stopped there I jumped out and stood on my head in the grass.

stay sb's hand

▪ There is little we can do to stay his hand without damaging East-West relations.

take matters into your own hands

▪ The city council took matters into its own hands and set a date for the meeting.

▪ As a result, some countries have taken matters into their own hands.

▪ Finally the women of Buntong Tiga can stand it no longer - they take matters into their own hands.

▪ She then took matters into her own hands.

▪ She was more than capable of taking matters into her own hands.

▪ So why not take matters into our own hands?

▪ The last thing leaders want is Tutsi who survived the genocide taking matters into their own hands.

▪ When the psycho is caught, then let go on a technicality, Mom takes matters into her own hands.

take the law into your own hands

▪ Citizens should not be expected to take the law into their own hands.

take/hand over the reins

▪ Campbell Christie takes over the reins at Brockville tomorrow.

▪ Finally, on November 24, he took over the reins of the Puzzle Palace from the retiring director.

▪ The younger generation had taken over the reins.

talk to the hand

the ball of the foot/hand

▪ Calluses grow on the ball of the foot and do not have a nucleus.

▪ However, I would suggest that you subsequently attack employing the ball of the foot rather than the injured instep.

▪ Raise your back heel and rest your weight on the ball of the foot.

▪ The heel of your leading foot should touch the ground, just before the ball of the foot and toes.

▪ The jumping turning kick: strike with the ball of the foot, keeping the back leg tucked up.

the dead hand of sth

▪ the dead hand of bureaucracy

▪ It isn't about the dead hand of the past, the unsettled guilt-edged accounts of history returning to haunt the present.

▪ State legislatures and Congress are no longer gripped as they once were by the dead hand of privilege.

▪ Such a move would reimpose the dead hand of state control and political interference.

▪ The core of the neoliberal argument is the need to free enterprise and initiative from the dead hand of the state.

▪ The main problem is the dead hand of local authorities, which keep tens of thousands of properties empty.

▪ Then there was Marta from Spartanburg, who was fleeing the dead hand of middle-class rectitude.

the devil makes/finds work for idle hands

the flat of sb's hand/a knife/a sword etc

the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

throw in your hand

throw up your hands (in horror/dismay etc)

▪ But instead of throwing up her hands and blaming the problem on organizational chaos, she stepped back and analyzed the situation.

▪ Davide had seen the priests, who had shrugged and thrown up their hands indolently at the laundress's problem.

▪ Even his most recent wife, Mercedes, had thrown up her hands.

▪ He rounded the bend nearest the building, and nearly dropped the branch for throwing up his hands in frustration.

▪ Here Abie threw up his hands at the ignorance of policemen.

▪ Jenny exclaimed to E.. Ames, throwing up her hands.

▪ Paul Reichmann threw up his hands in protest at the suggestion, but did not utter a sound.

▪ Then they throw up their hands, wondering why the benefits they have been pursuing never seem to accrue.

time hangs/lies heavy on your hands

try your hand at sth

▪ Diane has always wanted to try her hand at acting.

▪ But he decided to try his hand at writing books and was enormously successful.

▪ Guinness tried his hand at the new Porter with rather more success than his fellow Dublin brewers.

▪ If you have the urge to try your hand at a grant, do so!

▪ Isaac Mizrahi tried his hand at the corset, and in the process turned out some fabulous evening dresses.

▪ It's time to try my hand at the settled life.

▪ Many who are in the process of acquiring these technical skills may wish to try their hand at grantsmanship.

▪ Plenty of Christians have tried their hand at putting their beliefs into prose or poetry, usually with calamitous aesthetic results.

▪ Sons wanted to try its hand at selling iced tea.

wait on sb hand and foot

▪ Oliver expects us to wait on him hand and foot.

wash your hands of sth

▪ Dunbar has already washed his hands of the project.

▪ Chun was not able to wash his hands of the Kwangju massacre, which dogged him throughout his eight-year rule.

▪ Did you feel like washing your hands of me again?

▪ I wash my hands of you.

▪ Imagine Delwyn Pepper up so in New York, washing his hands of our business.

▪ In the summer of 1988, King Hussein washed his hands of the territories.

▪ Let us wash our hands of those who do not care for us.

▪ The sooner it washes its hands of Mr Haider the better.

▪ We can not wash our hands of this.

with your bare hands

▪ They'll fight with their bare hands to protect their homeland.

▪ Firemen dug with their bare hands to free Gemma Kitchiner from the storage pit on her parents' farm.

▪ He'd strangled two children with his bare hands, then called the police to give himself up.

▪ He was capable of killing a man with his bare hands.

▪ I reached out to feel your forehead, but you burned so hot I could not touch you with my bare hands.

▪ Oyama is famous for fighting bulls with his bare hands.

▪ The novices empty vats of mutton scraps into the dustbins and pack them down with their bare hands.

▪ The shaman broke the bones with his bare hands, and used the jagged edges to scratch at his bark.

▪ With their bare hands, they fought to save the man who had an ear ripped off in the attack.

with your own fair hands

wring sb's hand

wring your hands

▪ "I don't know what else to do," Dan said, wringing his hands.

▪ Antoinette wrung her hands inside her daughter's clasp.

▪ But you can do more than stand around the coffee bar and wring your hands with your co-workers.

▪ He wrings his hands like a fly and clinches his eves at the awful sound of that squeaking.

▪ He wrung his hands in pleasure at her pleasure.

▪ I am not thinking simply of an inventory of the human woes that people wring their hands about.

▪ I remember my father standing over her sickbed, wringing his hands, so afraid of losing another child.

▪ Jenny fretted, wrung her hands.

▪ She was wringing her hands, pulling at her lovely mane of hair.

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ a hired hand

▪ Go wash your hands.

▪ the hour hand

▪ The letter was written in a neat hand.

▪ We played a couple of hands of poker.

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ Even the town crier of nearby Faringdon was on hand to give an official reception.

▪ It was a lazy, almost careless gesture; only Caroline knew that the pressure of his hand was remorseless and proprietorial.

▪ My father looked at the wall, looked at his hands.

▪ She covers her face with her hand.

▪ Some one, I thought with illumination, who knew how easily Olympia had died from hands round the neck.

▪ The core, on the other hand, consists of divine goodness.

▪ The distinction between agreements under hand and covenants under seal has been largely obliterated.

II.verb

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ NOUN

ball

▪ Then Baker handed the ball to Hernandez for two innings, and then to Beck.

▪ I reached in and handed him the ball.

card

▪ Feeling slightly unreal, Joe handed up his card.

▪ At one point Jeffries walked in, trailed by Taiwo, and appeared to hand a card to a student.

▪ He was handed back his identity card.

▪ You hand your smart card to the cashier at a restaurant and she runs it through a scanner.

▪ Antonio fished in his back pocket and handed him a card.

▪ The taxi-driver in Glasgow handed Carole Lacey his card.

▪ Polite brides will hand out more cards to thank guests for sharing their special day.

cash

▪ Steven White, 21, terrified staff at five banks into handing over cash, Southwark Crown Court heard.

▪ A leading councillor is concerned about the way the Government is handing out community care cash.

▪ If they guessed on which side it fell, he handed over £100 cash.

▪ In each of the robberies the raider handed over notes demanding cash and claiming he had a gun.

cup

▪ Although his eyes were red, the young man seemed calm - until Huy handed him a cup of beer.

▪ He took a gulp and handed his cup to her.

▪ As she handed him his cup the telephone rang.

▪ She handed them their cups of tea.

▪ It couldn't have, judging by her expression as she stood there handing him a cup of tea.

▪ Zahara handed Jane a cup of water.

▪ Alexei drank a little of the sweet wine, then handed his cup to Jotan.

▪ Silently she handed him her cup and watched him sip it appreciatively, his eyes on hers the entire time.

decision

▪ The commission will seek to arbitrate a resolution before handing down a decision in late summer.

▪ Just a few months earlier, the Supreme Court had handed down a decision inviting states to pass abortion restrictions.

▪ In 1969, the U. S. Supreme Court handed down a historic decision that challenged the reasonableness test.

▪ Nor will courts building upon Roe be likely to hand down erroneous decisions as a consequence.

▪ Barr asserted that Congress should act to forestall the inevitable confusion and litigation when the Hawaii court hands down its decision.

envelope

▪ As soon as she'd entered the hotel she'd been handed a white envelope containing a fax message.

▪ He dug into his coat and handed Miguel a thick envelope.

▪ Kevin had handed Fat Freddy an envelope on the steps of the bank.

▪ Verdugo hands guests small white envelopes soliciting donations for funerals and reconstruction of the shrine.

▪ He then hands Primo a letter-sized envelope.

glass

▪ She went into the bathroom and added water to the whisky, then came back out and handed him a glass.

▪ He handed her the glass of iced water and began to pace up and down restlessly.

▪ He brings the drinks silently and hands me a glass.

▪ With that in mind Charity should have firmly handed back the glasses.

▪ I handed Glen the glass with ice, pouring Scotch into it.

▪ She sipped the bubbly liquid and handed the glass back to Adrienne who sat down close beside her.

key

▪ But by handing over the keys he did not necessarily escape his debts.

▪ Rob handed over the Toyota keys.

▪ He handed over the keys to Angoulême and Montignac and their walls too were razed to the ground.

▪ They handed a set of keys and a book of records over to me.

▪ The effect was akin to handing the keys of a fast car to a young and irresponsible driver.

▪ His bland face showed no expression as she filled out the registration form and he handed her a key.

▪ I handed Richie the keys to the truck and tried not to think too hard about the journey home.

▪ A clerk told him the number of his reserved room, and handed a bellboy the key.

leaflet

▪ They used to travel around a lot, handing out leaflets and things.

▪ Some one from the Spartacus League, a radical political group, hands out leaflets from the sidewalk.

▪ Persons who hand out leaflets clearly distribute them, and so might be guilty under section 4.

▪ Oswald was handing out leaflets in the street.

▪ The supermarket may hand out pretty green-and-white leaflets boasting its environmental concerns.

▪ This kind of approach is far more effective than handing out government information leaflets.

▪ One of them was dressed in a Bugs Bunny rabbit costume and was handing out leaflets.

letter

▪ Councillor Tait has now been handed a letter which expresses concern over Mr Gilbert's dual role.

▪ At the head of the line, I attempted once more to hand over my letter, and to explain.

▪ If handing over the letters was what it took, then so be it.

▪ Well, perhaps handing him a letter is best.

▪ He had read the number off the old-fashioned dial phone as he handed his last letter in.

▪ Ruth handed the letter to Ernest.

money

▪ Therefore, are we not wise in being extremely cautious before we hand over our money supply to a third party?

▪ Briefly, it would require making Fong rich without actually handing him the money.

▪ There's no greater pleasure than handing over money to a local supplier who helps make life easier.

▪ Cashiers learned to hand over the money as soon as they appeared.

▪ You handed me back that money, remember?

▪ It was not an indiscriminate method of handing out money to all and sundry.

▪ The greying gunman pulled the weapon out of a carrier bag and threatened to shoot a cashier unless she handed over money.

note

▪ The sailors face split into a grin for the first tame when Yanto handed him four pound notes.

▪ Without a word he sprung to his feet and handed Mitchell a note, folded carefully into quarters.

▪ Balvinder got out his wallet and handed two 100-rupee notes to his neighbour.

▪ Nico was about to move on, when I, seated at counsel table, handed him a note.

▪ The moment I arrived the proprietress handed me a note with Bobbie's decisive writing on the envelope.

▪ I fumbled in my back pocket and handed him the crumpled note.

▪ Robert Floyd had walked into Binns in Darlington and handed a note to the 24-year-old assistant on the perfume counter.

▪ I tried to hand him back the notes.

notice

▪ On Wednesday she handed in her notice to the managing director, who was touchingly reluctant to accept it.

▪ But she has now handed in her notice and will leave the £15,000-a-year job in a fortnight.

▪ The day that! handed in my notice I went and put a deposit on a new car.

paper

▪ After a few minutes Rose handed the paper back to him.

▪ He handed a twist of paper to Mrs Goreng.

▪ Colleagues in whom he had boundless confidence had handed him papers which he had signed without reading them.

▪ He wondered why he felt helpless as she handed him the paper bag and patted his arm.

▪ Yet she hands back the paper with loops and letters from first line to last.

▪ The counselor handed me the paper.

plate

▪ As with all great adventures and challenges, the rewards and achievements are not handed out on a plate.

▪ Some one hands me a plate heaped with food and a plastic spoon, and I taste the salty, luscious beans.

▪ When I sat down I was handed a plate made of real china which had bread and butter and cakes on it.

▪ As he finished he smiled and handed me the empty plate.

▪ They handed me a cardboard plate on which was an apple, a slice of cake, and some homemade toffee.

power

▪ We break that trust by handing over power to unelected people without any mechanism for changing their decisions.

▪ His proposal effectively would trigger the untested constitutional process for handing over power to Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.

▪ He then handed power to an elected government, but it failed to stop the economic decline.

▪ In allowing life to grow in the womb, a woman is partly handing over to powers outside her conscious control.

▪ His attempt to introduce democracy by handing over power to the elected president in 1993 failed.

▪ We have handed over that power.

▪ The people, by a tacit and irrevocable act of delegation, had handed over their powers to the monarch.

▪ Handing over the power to tax and spend means handing over the power to govern.

rein

▪ On his birthday, Hal himself may hand the reins to a new science fiction image of the future.

▪ Nicholson, 58, becomes the second Colorado politician this week to be handed the reins of a national party.

sentence

▪ A second lesson is that the heavy sentence handed down on Wacker will not deter the trade.

▪ Death sentences were handed down to eight of the accused.

▪ He knew the sentences that had been handed down to his associates.

▪ He upheld the death sentences handed down by lower courts.

task

▪ After a week, Loppe handed the task back to Galiot, mentioning that business required him in Kouklia.

▪ If he does play, Mowbray is likely to be handed the demanding task of subduing Mark Hateley.

■ VERB

hold

▪ Miss Rose and Uncle Billy; holding hands on the front row.

▪ They were sitting there holding hands.

refuse

▪ I don't have faith because I have always refused to hand over my reason.

shake

▪ She remembered John moving off to shake hands along a chain fence, his face rigid in the gray drizzle.

▪ We shook hands a second time.

▪ You can almost see the Page 1 picture now of the president and the network chiefs all shaking hands next week.

▪ I liked shaking hands at the end of the third round.

▪ He watched them shake hands and embrace.