Collocations for "hands"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "hands" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
hand
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- my [right, left] hand
- [another, an extra pair] of hands would [help, be welcome]
- [lend, give] me a hand (with)
- lend a (helping) hand
- do you [need, want] a hand?
- [burned, cut, hurt, broke] my hand
- [selected, made, crafted] by hand
- [made, did] it by hand
- offer your hand in [truce, concession, congratulations]
- the [clock, watch, second, hour, minute] hand
- the (clock) hand pointed to [nine]
- [saw, heard] it first hand
- [bought, ordered] it second hand
- a [good, bad] (poker) hand
- should have [five] cards in your hand
- was dealt a [good] hand
- strengthen our hand in (the negotiations)
- [but, then], on the other hand
- (works as) a [ranch, farm] hand
- let's give [the singer, our guest] a big hand
- wrote the [report, essay] by hand
- the [store, house, business] has changed hands
- she forced my hand
- by the hand of God
- (our future is) in the hands of [the gods, the banks]
- (don't) bite the hand that feeds you
- waited on him hand and foot
- were living hand to mouth
- won the [race, game, match] hands down
- has her hands full with [work, five kids]
- hand-to-hand [combat, fighting]
- a hand [towel, saw, tool, band, glove, dryer, crank]
- give a hand signal
- sexually explicit: gave [me, her boyfriend] a hand job
- a hand-[made, crafted, painted] [mask, table, watch]
- a hand-picked [worker, candidate, player]
- hand-picked by [the president, her boss]
- hand-picked for the [job, position]
- a hand-operated [machine]
- is his right-hand man
- don't know the [date, answer, exact amount] off hand
- hand me the [paper, knife, salt]
- hand it to me [now, immediately]
- hand in your [assignments, homework, exams]
- handed my [assignment] in
- handed out the [assignments]
- handed the [assignments] out (to)
- hand over the [money, diamonds, briefcase]
- hand it over (to)
- handed over the [hostages, prisoners]
- handed him over to the [police, authorities]
- handed down a [sweater, pair of pants, ring]
- handed down [from my brother, for generations]
- hand you over to [the boss, my colleague]
- handed [it, the ball, the project] off to
'hands' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
anguish
- apron
- ball
- bare
- basin
- beet
- bend
- beneath
- bind
- blackberry
- blemish
- blister
- bloody
- blueberry
- boob
- brush
- cake
- callous
- capable
- captain
- chalk
- chicken
- chill
- chilly
- choke
- chubby
- clap
- clasp
- clean
- clench
- clever
- closing
- clumsy
- cold
- count
- cowboy
- crawl
- criminal
- cuff
- cup
- deck
- defeat
- destiny
- dinner
- dire
- dirty
- dough
- dusty
- dye
- embroidery