Meanings
- 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 - broadlyfigurativelyidiomaticA display of disrespect or scorn.
"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 20134 more examples
"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[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'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 199When 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
Cite this entry
back of one's hand. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20of%20one's%20hand
“back of one's hand.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20of%20one's%20hand. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “back of one's hand,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20of%20one's%20hand.
Source: back of one's hand on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.