Dictionary

lift a finger en · VERB

Etymology

Compare Matthew 23:4.

Meanings

1. (figuratively, in the negative) To make minimal effort; to help as little as possible.
   • Distressed jeans bear all the signs of exertion, while the consumer never has to lift a finger. What could be more luxurious than that? 2022, Carolyn Purnell, Blue Jeans, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 44:
   • They weep when they see the country being so much exploited and yet nobody lifts a finger. 1973, Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard): June 12 - July 27, page 904:
   • You've known about it all along, you haven't lifted a finger, so don't come crying to me. I don't have time for it. 2004, Gerald Shapiro, Little men: novellas and stories, page 6:
   • She lets me do all the work and never lifts a finger to help.
   • Lifting a finger to greet is dangerous because it may make us feel guilty about not lifting a finger to help. 2005, Larry T. McGehee, B. J. Hutto, Southern Seen: Meditations on Past and Present, page 80:
2. (figuratively) To take actual retaliatory or punitive action, as opposed to just complaining.
   • I think living conditions need to get a lot worse before voters start to lift a finger.
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lift, finger.
   • So if your next note involves lifting''' a finger, you need to plan to lift the finger promptly to above its spot on the string so that it's ready to play again at any time. 2010, Katharine Rapoport, Violin For Dummies:

Forms

Relateds

stroke of work

Synonyms

move a finger · stir a finger · raise a finger

Translations (17)

ro mișca un deget (to make minimal effort) · es no dar un palo al agua (to make minimal effort) · la prōferō digitum (to make minimal effort) · fi laittaa tikkua ristiin (to make minimal effort) · sv lyfta ett finger (to make minimal effort) · it muovere un dito (to make minimal effort) · hu a kisujját sem mozdítja (to make minimal effort) · pl palcem nie kiwnąć (to make minimal effort) · fr lever le petit doigt (to make minimal effort) · pl palcem nie ruszyć (to make minimal effort) · ru уда́рить па́лец о па́лец (to make minimal effort) · de Finger krumm machen (to make minimal effort) · tr parmağını bile kıpırdatmamak (to make minimal effort) · es mover un dedo (to make minimal effort) · ja 指一本動かす (to make minimal effort) · ru уда́рить па́льцем о па́лец (to make minimal effort) · fi panna tikkua ristiin (to make minimal effort)