subs. (colloquial).—Properly a seaman; now a labourer, a workman, an agent.
1658. E. PHILLIPS, The New World of Words, s.v. HAND, or Handing, a Word us’d among Mariners … when Men are wanted to do any Labour they usually call for more HANDS.
1690. LOCKE, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, II, xi. 25. A Dictionary of this sort, containing, as it were, a Natural History, requires too many HANDS, as well as too much Time, Cost, Pains and Sagacity, ever to be hoped for.
1711. Spectator, No. 232. The reduction of the prices of our manufactures by the addition of so many new HANDS, would be no inconvenience to any man.
1754. FIELDING, Jonathan Wild, i, 14. The mercantile part of the world, therefore, wisely use the term ‘employing HANDS,’ and esteem each other as they employ more or fewer.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. We lost a HAND; we lost a sailor.
1871. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 113, p. 3. He was admitted as a HAND in an establishment already numbering three hundred active workers.
1892. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, p. 70. The HANDS has all bloomin’ well struck.
1892. National Observer, 22 Oct., vol. viii., p. 571. The dispute in the South-East Lancashire cotton trade is like to result in the stoppage of fourteen or fifteen million spindles which will take employment from sixty thousand HANDS, a fifth of them women and children.
1893. Fortnightly Review, Jan., p. 62. The wages paid to the operatives in our woollen industry are, to a marked extent, lower than those received by the HANDS employed in our cotton mills.
2. (coachmen’s).—See quot.
1856. WHYTE-MELVILLE, Kate Coventry, ch. xv. Lady Horsingham was tolerably courageous, but totally destitute of what is termed HAND, a quality as necessary in driving as in riding, particularly with fractious or high-spirited horses.
A GOOD (or COOL, NEAT, OLD, FINE, etc.) HAND, subs. phr. (colloquial).—An expert.
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.), s.v. HAND (v.). ‘He is a good Hand,’ spoke of one that is an artist in some particular mechanical art or trade, etc.
1773. GOLDSMITH, She Stoops to Conquer, iii., 1. When I was in my best story of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, he asked if I had not a GOOD HAND at making punch.
1854. WHYTE-MELVILLE, General Bounce, xii. A quaint boy at Eton, COOL HAND at Oxford, a deep card in the regiment, man or woman never yet had the best of ‘Uppy.’
1877. W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, i. 33. The new man, the GREEN HAND, takes little or no heed of the entrance of the officers…. Not so the OLD HAND.
1886. R. L. STEVENSON, Kidnapped, p. 195. Ye’re a GRAND HAND at the sleeping!
1892. W. E. GLADSTONE, Times ‘Report.’ … This OLD PARLIAMENTARY HAND.
1892. W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, i., 7, p. 18. You always was a neat HAND with the bones.
A HAND LIKE A FOOT, phr. (common).—A large, coarse hand. Also a vulgar or uneducated handwriting.
1738. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, i. Col. Whoe’er writ it with A HAND HAND LIKE A FOOT.
A HAND LIKE A FIST, phr. (gamesters’).—A hand full of trumps. Also (in derision) a hand there’s no playing.
TO TAKE A HAND WITH THE OUTSIDE MUSIC, verb. phr. (American).—See quot.
1892. J. L. SULLIVAN, Life and Reminiscences of a 19th Century Gladiator, iii. After thirty-seven rounds in fifty-five minutes, the umpires and seconds got into a fight, and Sullivan felt fresh enough ‘TO TAKE A HAND IN THE OUTSIDE MUSIC.’
TO GET A HAND ON, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To suspect; to be distrustful.
TO GET ONE’S HAND IN, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To practise with a view to proficiency.
TO GET ONE’S HAND ON IT, verb. phr. (venery).—To grope a woman.
TO BEAR A HAND, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. BEAR A HAND; make haste.
TO BRING UP BY HAND, verb. phr. (venery).—To procure erection manually.
TO BRING DOWN (or OFF) BY HAND, verb. phr. (venery).—To masturbate. For synonyms, see FRIG.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 58. I used to see her at some of the public-houses frequented by Mrs. Condon, STANDING HER HAND liberally to all who happened to be in the bar, and therefore being made much of by the thirsty loafers whom she treated.
TO HAND IN ONE’S CHIPS (or CHECKS).—See CASH ONE’S CHECKS.
TO HAVE (or GET) THE UPPER HAND, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To have at an advantage; to get to WINDWARD (q.v.).
1886. R. L. STEVENSON, Kidnapped, p. 173. I was growing impatient to get back and HAVE THE UPPER HAND of my uncle.
TO HAND UP, verb. (Winchester College).—To give information against; to betray.—Notions.
HANDS UP! intj. (common).—An injunction to desist; STOW IT! (q.v.). Also (police) = a command to surrender. BAIL UP (q.v.).
1888. J. RUNCIMAN, The Chequers, p. 120. HANDS UP! Jerry.
[Amongst other colloquial usages of HAND are the following:—AT HAND = readily, hard by; AT ANY HAND (Shakespeare) = on any account; AT NO HAND = on no account; FOR ONE’S OWN HAND = for one’s own purpose or interest; FROM HAND TO HAND = from one to another; IN HAND = in a state of preparation, under consideration, or control; OFF ONE’S HANDS = finished; ON HAND = in possession; IN ONE’S HANDS = in one’s care; OUT OF HAND = completed, without hesitation; TO ONE’S HAND = ready; HAND OVER HEAD = negligently, rashly; HAND TO MOUTH = improvident; HANDS OFF! = stand off; HEAVY ON HAND = hard to manage; HOT AT HAND = difficult to manage; LIGHT IN HAND = easy to manage; TO ASK (or GIVE) THE HAND OF = to ask (or give) in marriage; TO BE HAND AND GLOVE WITH = to be very intimate with; TO BEAR A HAND = to help; TO BEAR IN (or ON) HAND = to cheat or mock by false promises; TO CHANGE HANDS = to change owners; TO COME TO HAND = to be received; TO GET HAND = to gain influence; TO GIVE A HAND = to applaud; TO GIVE THE HAND TO = to be reconciled to; TO HAVE A HAND IN = to have a share in; TO HAVE ONE’S HANDS FULL = to be fully occupied; TO HOLD HANDS WITH = to vie with, to hold one’s own; TO LAY HANDS ON = to assault, to seize; TO LEND A HAND = to help; TO MAKE A HAND = to gain an advantage; TO PUT (or STRETCH) FORTH THE HAND AGAINST = to use violence; TO SET THE HAND TO = to undertake; TO STRIKE HANDS = to make a bargain; TO TAKE BY THE HAND = to take under one’s guidance; TO TAKE IN HAND = to attempt; TO WASH ONE’S HANDS OF = to disclaim responsibility; A HEAVY HAND = severity; A LIGHT HAND = gentleness; A SLACK HAND = idleness, carelessness; A STRICT HAND = severe discipline; CLEAN HANDS = freedom from guilt; TO STAND ONE IN HAND = to concern, to be of importance to; HAND TO FIST = tête-à-tête, hip to haunch; HAND OVER HAND = easily; TO GET A HAND = to be applauded.]
