clean hands

noun

Freedom from guilt, especially from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe-taking.

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Meanings

nounclean hands pl (plural only)
  1. figurativelyidiomaticpluralplural onlylawFreedom from guilt, especially from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe-taking.

    He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 17:9
Cite this entry
APA

clean hands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20hands

MLA

“clean hands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20hands. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clean hands,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20hands.

Source: clean hands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.