Meanings
noundishpan hands pl (plural only)
- idiomaticpluralplural onlyHands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent.
Avoid dishpan hands. Those 1950s sitcom moms had it right (and probably had lovely hands): Wear rubber gloves while cleaning and doing dishes.
2007 February 18, H. E. Thomas, M. Thomas, “5 Ways to Combat Cold-Weather Hands”, in Washington Post, retrieved 30 Jul 2009
Origin
Possibly coined circa mid-1920s for the advertising of Lever Brothers "Lux" brand dishwashing soap.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Swedish skurhänder
- skurhänderrough hands
Cite this entry
APA
dishpan hands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dishpan%20hands
MLA
“dishpan hands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dishpan%20hands. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dishpan hands,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dishpan%20hands.
Source: dishpan hands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.