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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

have one's hands full en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.
    • They had their hands full to defend themselves from firing. c. 1603, Walter Raleigh, Apology for the Voyage to Guiana:
    • He already has his hands full with two kids and a full-time job, yet he still makes time to volunteer.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
had one's hands full Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
had one's hands full Tense=Past lexicographic
having one's hands full Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
has one's hands full Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
have one's handful alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Relateds

have one's hands tied · handful · tie one's hands

Translations (7)

sv ha händerna fulla (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · is hafa nóg á sinni könnu (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · pt estar de mãos cheias (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · de alle Hände voll zu tun haben (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · sco hae ane's ain tae dae (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · pl mieć pełne ręce roboty (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied) · ro but see foarte ocupat (be busy or thoroughly preoccupied)