lay hands on

present singular third person lays hands on · participle present laying hands on · participle past laid hands on · past laid hands on · alternative lay one's hands on

1. idiomaticTo find, obtain, or procure.

   If we can lay hands on some chicken wire and a black light, we can make some scary Halloween decorations.

   2 more examples

   After a long trial at which the Crown brought forward every right-wing bigot and crackpot psychiatrist they could lay hands on, The Body Politic was acquitted.

   1981 February 14, Alexander Wilson, “The New Right Attacks Childhood Sexuality: A Canadian Perspective”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 29, page 6

   What luck, right when I'd laid my hands on flight coupons; had my checkbook in the black!

   2008, Sean Miller, Shveta Verma, Riffing on Strings: Creative Writing Inspired by String Theory, page 111

   Synonyms: get one's hands on, get hold of

2. idiomaticTo seize or assault.
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lay, hands.