Hand Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'street' last time and this time it's 'hand'.

Firsthand (also secondhand, etc) is first recorded in the 15th century.

At hand in its current use is first seen around 1300, but there is an earlier use from around 1200 when it meant ‘near in time’.

In hand is first seen in the early 13th century, while …..

Out of hand doesn’t make an appearance until 1590.

Hand over fist first appears in a document dated 1803, then used solely in a nautical sense.

On the one hand (and on the other hand) are first recorded in the 1630s.

Hand to hand appears around 1400.

Hand to mouth first recorded around 1500.

Hand in hand is also seen from around 1500, but was then used to mean ‘with hands clasped’, not until seventy years later did it gain the modern sense.

Hand it to (someone), when referring to an acknowledgement of another’s abilities, is recorded from 1906.

Handful in the modern sense of all that can be held in one hand, has been used since the 15th century. Prior to that the term used was ‘handbreadth’, which was also used for a linear measurement of about 4 inches. Having one’s hands full (as in busy) is first seen in the late 15th century.

Offhand is first seen in 1690 when used to mean ‘immediately’, shortly afterwards, in 1719, it is also used in its modern sense.

Right hand, when describing the hand, is first seen around 900, coming about as it was seen as the correct hand to use. Around 1200 the term is starting to take on the sense of that side. Later, in the 1520s, it is used to describe a close worker or assistant. And finally, around 1700, it is used to refer to a person’s dominant side.

Handbasket is seen from the late 15th century, when it referred to a basket held in the hand. The expression hell in a handbasket is first seen in 1867, and was probably born from the earlier (and now largely obsolete) heaven in a handbasket from 1853, which referred to an easy journey.

Nobody said they were drawing ‘freehand’ until 1867.

And nobody had handwriting until 1745 – which makes sense, as everything would be written by hand before the invention of printing.

The hand jive was created, and referred to, for the first time in 1958.

Nothing was ‘handmade’ until 1610, and for the same reason as the handwriting comment above.

Hand grenade is first seen as early as 1660.

Nothing had a handrail until 1793, or at least wasn’t described as such.

Hand Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'touch' last time and this time it's 'hand'.

Hand to mouth is first used as early as 1600

First hand (and also second hand) both seen in writing for the first time in the middle of the 15th century.

At hand, used in the sense of 'nearby' is first seen around 1300, but had been used for a century to mean 'soon'.

In hand, as in 'undercontrol', is first found around 1200.

On the other hand (and on the one hand, of course) is first recorded in 1630

Hands up first appears in print in 1863, meaning it is highly unlikely this phrase was ever used by highwaymen as they had had their day decades earlier.

Hand-to-hand fighting was not heard of until 1400.

Hand in hand was seen in 1500, but only in the literal sense of having hands clasped together, not until 1570 was it used to mean 'concurrently'.

Handrails may have been used before 1793, but it did not appear in writing until that year.

Hand jive, that seated dance which is far too energetic for the likes of me, debuted in 1958.

Freehand drawing must have been used since man first drew on cave walls, but nobody said so until 1848.

Hand grenade may seem like a modern-ish weapon, but any bomb thrown by hand was referred as such from as early as 1630.

Stagehands have only been employed since 1865.

Farmhands, remarkably, have only been known as such since 1835.

Handmade has been seen since 1610.

Handout, as in alms to the poor, first came into use in 1882.

Deckhands have been employed since 1839.

Hand me downs have been worn only since 1826.

Off hand, as in off the cuff, has been used since 1690.

Hell in a handbasket is, as we know, coming to us from across the Atlantic. is seen since 1867. Interestingly, the idea of going to heaven in a handbasket (ie easy passage) is first seen in 1853.

Handholds were not used before the 1640s.

Handstands were not performed before 1897.

Handbags were not sold until 1854.

Handguns have been known as such since the middle of the 14th century.

Handshakes have been known since 1801.

Note, as ever, the dates given are the first surviving written record. Even if that is the first written usage, the term would certainly have been in use prior to that in order to appear in print.