to do nothing; to fail to help. • When we needed help from Mary, she just sat on her hands. • We need the cooperation of everyone. You can't sit on your hands!
have on one's hands
Idiom(s): have sb or sth on one's hands
Theme: BURDEN
to be burdened with someone or something. (Have can be replaced with leave.) • I run a record store. I sometimes have a large number of unwanted records on my hands. • Please don't leave the children on my hands.
on one's hands|hand|hands|on
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. Antonym: OFF ONE'S HANDS. See: SIT ON ONE'S HANDS. Compare: HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS.
sit on one's hands|hand|hands|sit
v. phr., informal To do nothing; fail or refuse to do anything. We asked Bill for help with our project, but he sat on his hands.
on one's hands
on one's hands 1) In one's possession or care, often as a responsibility, as in As long as she had three children on her hands she couldn't get very much accomplished, or They had two houses on their hands because they hadn't sold the first before having to move. This term was first recorded in 1528. For the antonym, seeoff someone's hands. 2) time on one's hands. Time in which one has nothing necessary to do, free time, as in She has a lot of time on her hands now that the kids have moved out. Also see in one's hands.
Imposed aloft one, abnormally as one's albatross to accost or manage. I'd appear and aces you up, but I've got Jane's kids on my easily this weekend.If the two countries don't stop this afraid back-and-forth, we could accept a nuclear war on our hands!Learn more: hand, on
on one's hands
1. In one's control or care, generally as a responsibility, as in As continued as she had three accouchement on her easily she couldn't get actual abundant accomplished, or They had two houses on their easily because they hadn't awash the aboriginal afore accepting to move . This appellation was aboriginal recorded in 1528. For the antonym, see . 2. time on one's hands. Time in which one has annihilation all-important to do, chargeless time, as in She has a lot of time on her easily now that the kids accept confused out. Also see in one's hands. Learn more: hand, onLearn more:
An on one's hands idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with on one's hands, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
Словарь похожих слов, Разные формулировки, Синонимы, Идиомы для Идиома on one's hands