uphanded

comparative more uphanded · superlative most uphanded · alternative up-handed

1. With hands held up or characterised by raising of hands.

   “Pffshheeech!” whistled Sam with an uphanded salute.

   2014, Edward W. Ramsell, Baanquer's Point, →ISBN, page 206

   3 more examples

   For, as it regards myself, I confess, with humility, that in the earliest stage of my career I was the uphanded wonder of gossips even at my christening, and though only a few months old, (I was born in the longest day), I was considered a child of larger growth than any other of equal age, which made the vicar exclaim -- "Quae monstrant ipsi puer-is."

   1833, The Olio, Or, Museum of Entertainment - Volume 11, page 89

   I can hold it up, I can hold it up and I feel everything drain right out of it, and if I go to pick up a cigarette now with this hand I can't pick it up if I hold this hand up in an uphanded position all the time.

   1990, Antarctic Journal of the United States - Volume 25, page 24

   In like manner, the sketch of the angel in the study is done in a dreamy, prayerful profile; but the angel depicted in the finished drawing looks out to the processional viewers with an open, uphanded gesture, to initiate dynamically the sweeping curve of looks from face to face, which at last goes out to the viewer

   1990, Eben E. Bass, Dante Gabriel Rossetti: poet and painter, page 83

2. Overbearing.

   Mr. Wilkinson took a very uphanded means and said that he was going to be indisposed for probably 30 days.

   1953, United States Congress House Committee on Education and Labor, Strikes and Racketeering in the Kansas City Area, page 76

   2 more examples

   Furthermore such an attitude becomes an abuse of the strong against the weak, exactly in the uphanded attitude adopted by Germany towards heroic Belgium, when she violated the latter's rights which were guaranteed by a Treaty.

   1929, Sugar News - Volume 10, page 54

   The managers brought from abroad were not aware of the local agricultural conditions; they came into conflict with the workers because of their uphanded attitudes

   1970, Jerusalem Studies in Geography - Volumes 1-2, page 6

alternative up-handed

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of uphand