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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

talk to the hand en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (US, colloquial, dated, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, sarcastic) Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that one is not prepared to hear or read anything further from that person. It is often used while simultaneously holding up the hand with the palm facing the speaker.
    • Of all the hand gestures used by Men and women, "talking to the hand” is a gesture that should be exclusively used by women. There isn't anything Manly by making somebody "talk to the hand." 2012, Joseph Greene, The ComMANdments; The Official Guide Book to Man Rules, page 161:
    • After his initial reaction and suggestion that she go write a song based on talking to the hand, she played him what she'd come up with, and he responded with his typically laconic "cool," suggesting they put some hand claps here and there and perhaps a minor chord in the verse to make it a bit jangly. 2016, Donald Brackett, Back to Black: Amy Winehouse's Only Masterpiece:
    • Canceling someone started out in the same way that talking to the hand did, a joke. 2022, Kelly Mitchell, Clap if You Can Hear Me:
    • Girl, you can talk to the hand 'cause I ain't listenin' no more.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
talks to the hand Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
talking to the hand Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
talked to the hand Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
talked to the hand Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

talk to the fist · whatever

talk to the hand en · X

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (US, colloquial, dated, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, sarcastic) Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that one is not prepared to hear or read anything further from that person. It is often used while simultaneously holding up the hand with the palm facing the speaker.
    • Oh honey, talk to the hand, the ears ain't listening! 1997, Todd Graff, The Beautician and the Beast, spoken by Joy Miller:
    • T-850 (Arnold Schwarzenegger): Your clothes. / Stripper (Jimmy Snyder): Talk to the hand! / T-850: Now. 2003, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (motion picture), Jimmy Snyder (actor):
    • Tommy showed Tony the palm of his hand. ‘Tell it to the ’and ’cos the face ain't listening.’ 2002, Ben Elton, High Society, Random House, published 2012, →ISBN, page 172:

Synonyms

tell it to the hand · talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening

Translations (8)

fr parle à ma main (used to dismiss another person's argument) · pt fale com a mão (used to dismiss another person's argument) · fi kiviäkin kiinnostaa (used to dismiss another person's argument) · es habla a la mano (used to dismiss another person's argument) · pt fala para a mão (used to dismiss another person's argument) · fi puhu johdolle (used to dismiss another person's argument) · cmn 别烦，我不听 (used to dismiss another person's argument) · fi puhu pukille (used to dismiss another person's argument)