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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

back of one's hand en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. A slap.
    • "And have that boor D'Hérouville laugh? No! Let him give me the chance, and I will give him the back of my hand." 1903, Harold MacGrath, chapter 13, in The Grey Cloak:
  2. (broadly, figuratively, idiomatic) A display of disrespect or scorn.
    • "Out upon ye, Mr. Saddletree!" exclaimed David, . . . "out upon your General Assembly, and the back of my hand to your Court o' Session!" 1818, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 11, in The Heart of Mid-Lothian:
    • "As I said, Truman showed him the back of his hand rather than any desire to cooperate." 1984 July 18, Don Meiklejohn, “Commentary: Pepper recalls day he was almost a nominee”, in Gainesville Sun, retrieved 15 Nov 2013:
    • When German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009 invited him to come to Berlin to help celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Fall of the Wall, Mr. Obama gave her the back of his hand. 2013 April 18, Ken Blackwell, Bob Morrison, “Snubbing Thatcher's Funeral? No, Obama Is Consistent!”, in American Thinker, retrieved 15 Nov 2013:
    • 'And have you nothing for me, duckie?' 'O, you! The back of my hand to you!' said Mrs Kernan tartly. 1905 (date written), James Joyce, “Grace”, in Dubliners, London: Grant Richards, published June 1914, →OCLC, page 199:
    • [A]nd the back of my hand to them that have come in the way, bringin' sorrow, an' desolation, an' misery on gentlefolks. 1860, Anthony Trollope, chapter 32, in Castle Richmond:

Relateds

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