have one's hands full

verb

To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.

“He already has his hands full with two kids and a full-time job, yet he still makes time to volunteer.”

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Meanings

verbhave one's hands full (third-person singular simple present has one's hands full, present participle having one's hands full, simple past and past participle had one's hands full)

present singular third person has one's hands full · participle present having one's hands full · participle past had one's hands full · past had one's hands full · alternative obsolete have one's handful

  1. idiomaticTo be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.

    He already has his hands full with two kids and a full-time job, yet he still makes time to volunteer.

    1 more example

    They had their hands full to defend themselves from firing.

    c. 1603, Walter Raleigh, Apology for the Voyage to Guiana

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
have full hands

Translations

German alle Hände voll zu tun haben
  • alle Hände voll zu tun habenbe busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Icelandic hafa nóg á sinni könnu
  • hafa nóg á sinni könnube busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Polish mieć pełne ręce roboty
  • mieć pełne ręce robotybe busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Portuguese estar de mãos cheias
  • estar de mãos cheiasbe busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Romanian but see foarte ocupat
  • but see foarte ocupatbe busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Swedish ha händerna fulla
  • ha händerna fullabe busy or thoroughly preoccupied
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: have one's hands full on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.