fall into the wrong hands

verb

To become the possession of, or be discovered by, an unfriendly third party.

“The policeman was concerned that the lost handgun would fall into the wrong hands.”

Similar
get into the wrong hands
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Meanings

verbfall into the wrong hands (third-person singular simple present falls into the wrong hands, present participle falling into the wrong hands, simple past fell into the wrong hands, past participle fallen into the wrong hands)

present singular third person falls into the wrong hands · participle present falling into the wrong hands · past fell into the wrong hands · participle past fallen into the wrong hands

  1. idiomaticTo become the possession of, or be discovered by, an unfriendly third party.

    The policeman was concerned that the lost handgun would fall into the wrong hands.

    Synonyms: get into the wrong hands

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo become the possession of, or be discovered by, an unfriendly third party.

Similar
get into the wrong hands

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 落入壞人之手 /落入坏人之手
  • 落入壞人之手 /落入坏人之手 (luòrù huàirén zhī shǒu)become the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Finnish joutua vääriin käsiin
  • joutua vääriin käsiinbecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
German in die falschen Hände fallen, in die falschen Hände geraten
  • in die falschen Hände fallenbecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
  • in die falschen Hände geratenbecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Hungarian rossz kezekbe kerül
  • rossz kezekbe kerülbecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Polish wpadać w niepowołane ręce, wpaść w niepowołane ręce
  • wpadać w niepowołane ręcebecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
  • wpaść w niepowołane ręcebecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Portuguese cair em mãos erradas
  • cair em mãos erradasbecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Romanian încăpea pe mâini rele
  • încăpea pe mâini relebecome the possession of or be discovered by an unfriendly third party
Cite this entry
APA

fall into the wrong hands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20the%20wrong%20hands

MLA

“fall into the wrong hands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20the%20wrong%20hands. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fall into the wrong hands,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20the%20wrong%20hands.

Source: fall into the wrong hands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.