get one's hands dirty

verb

To get involved with the unpleasant parts of a task, such as manual labor or unethical activities.

“He doesn't get his hands dirty — that's what the henchmen and the plausible deniability are for.”

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Meanings

verbget one's hands dirty (third-person singular simple present gets one's hands dirty, present participle getting one's hands dirty, simple past got one's hands dirty, past participle (UK) got one's hands dirty or (US) gotten one's hands dirty)

present singular third person gets one's hands dirty · participle present getting one's hands dirty · past got one's hands dirty · UK participle past got one's hands dirty · US participle past gotten one's hands dirty

  1. idiomaticTo get involved with the unpleasant parts of a task, such as manual labor or unethical activities.

    He doesn't get his hands dirty — that's what the henchmen and the plausible deniability are for.

    1 more example

    If you expect to seal up every possible source of draftiness, you'll have to get your hands dirty — there will be some kneeling and crawling involved.

Translations

Finnish liata kätensä
  • liata kätensäTranslations
French se salir les mains, faire le sale boulot
  • se salir les mainsTranslations
  • faire le sale boulotTranslations
  • mettre les mains dans le cambouisTranslations
  • aller au charbonTranslations
German sich die Hände schmutzig machen, sich die Finger schmutzig machen
  • sich die Hände schmutzig machenTranslations
  • sich die Finger schmutzig machenTranslations
Polish brudzić sobie ręce, ubrudzić sobie ręce
  • brudzić sobie ręceTranslations
  • ubrudzić sobie ręceTranslations
Spanish ensuciarse las manos, no caérsele los anillos
  • ensuciarse las manosTranslations
  • no caérsele los anillosTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

get one's hands dirty. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20one's%20hands%20dirty

MLA

“get one's hands dirty.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20one's%20hands%20dirty. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get one's hands dirty,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20one's%20hands%20dirty.

Source: get one's hands dirty on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.