Your hands are the parts of your body at the end of your arms. Each hand has four fingers and a thumb.

The hand of someone or something is their influence in an event or situation.

If you say that something is in a particular person's hands, you mean that they are looking after it, own it, or are responsible for it.

If you ask someone for a hand with something, you are asking them to help you in what you are doing.

A hand is someone, usually a man, who does hard physical work, for example in a factory or on a farm, as part of a group of people who all do similar work.

If someone asks an audience to give someone a hand, they are asking the audience to clap loudly, usually before or after that person performs.

If a man asks for a woman's hand in marriage, he asks her or her parents for permission to marry her.

In a game of cards, your hand is the set of cards that you are holding in your hand at a particular time or the cards that are dealt to you at the beginning of the game.

A hand is a measurement of four inches, which is used for measuring the height of a horse from its front feet to its shoulders.

The hands of a clock or watch are the thin pieces of metal or plastic that indicate what time it is.

Your hand is the style in which you write with a pen or pencil.

If something is at hand ,near at hand, or close at hand, it is very near in place or time.

If someone experiences a particular kind of treatment, especially unpleasant treatment, at the hands of a person or organization, they receive it from them.

If you do something by hand, you do it using your hands rather than a machine.

When something changes hands, its ownership changes, usually because it is sold to someone else.

If you have someone eating out of your hand, they are completely under your control.

If someone is bound hand and foot, both their hands and both their feet are tied together.

If you force someone's hand, you force them to act sooner than they want to, or to act in public when they would prefer to keep their actions secret.

If you have your hands full with something, you are very busy because of it.

If someone gives you a free hand, they give you the freedom to use your own judgment and to do exactly as you wish.

If you say that someone is making or losing money hand over fist, you mean that they are getting or losing a lot of money very quickly.

If you get your hands on something or lay your hands on something, you manage to find it or obtain it, usually after some difficulty.

If you work hand in glove with someone, you work very closely with them.

If two people are hand in hand, they are holding each other's nearest hand, usually while they are walking or sitting together. People often do this to show their affection for each other.

If two things go hand in hand, they are closely connected and cannot be considered separately from each other.

If you have a hand in something such as an event or activity, you are involved in it.

If you say that someone such as the ruler of a country treats people with a heavy hand, you are criticizing them because they are very strict and severe with them.

If two people are holding hands, they are holding each other's nearest hand, usually while they are walking or sitting together. People often do this to show their affection for each other.

If you ask someone to hold your hand at an event that you are worried about, you ask them to support you by being there with you.

In a competition, if someone has games or matches in hand, they have more games or matches left to play than their opponent and therefore have the possibility of scoring more points.

If you have time or money in hand, you have more time or money than you need.

The job or problem in hand is the job or problem that you are dealing with at the moment.

If a situation is in hand, it is under control.

If you do something to keep your hand in, you practise a skill or hobby occasionally in order to remain fairly good at it.

If you are on your hands and knees, your knees and feet and the palms of your hands are touching the ground.

If you lend someone a hand, you help them.

If you tell someone to keep their hands off something or to take their hands off it, you are telling them in a rather aggressive way not to touch it or interfere with it.

If you do not know something off hand, you do not know it without having to ask someone else or look it up in a book.

If you have a problem or responsibility on your hands, you have to deal with it. If it is off your hands, you no longer have to deal with it.

If someone or something is on hand, they are near and able to be used if they are needed.

You use on the one hand to introduce the first of two contrasting points, facts, or ways of looking at something. It is always followed later by on the other hand or 'on the other'.

You use on the other hand to introduce the second of two contrasting points, facts, or ways of looking at something.

If a person or a situation gets out of hand, you are no longer able to control them.

If you dismiss or reject something out of hand, you do so immediately and do not consider believing or accepting it.

If you play into someone's hands, you do something which they want you to do and which places you in their power.

If you show your hand, you show how much power you have and the way you intend to act.

If you take something or someone in hand, you take control or responsibility over them, especially in order to improve them.

If someone throws up their hands, they express their anger, frustration, or disgust when a situation becomes so bad that they can no longer accept it.

If you say that your hands are tied, you mean that something is preventing you from acting in the way that you want to.

If you have something to hand or near to hand, you have it with you or near you, ready to use when needed.

If you try your hand at an activity, you attempt to do it, usually for the first time.

If you turn your hand to something such as a practical activity, you learn about it and do it for the first time.

If you wash your hands of someone or something, you refuse to be involved with them any more or to take responsibility for them.

If you win hands down, you win very easily.