Hand

I'd rather borrow from the bank at high interest than go ....... to my father.

cap in hand

The shops were shut so I couldn't buy her a present. I felt bad arriving ..........

empty-handed

He makes just enough money to provide for his basic daily needs. It's wretched, ................ existence.

hand to mouth

I think you were rather ............ in dismissing him without consulting me or giving him a chance to explain.

high-handed

We left the car with my brother-in-law. He's very careful and reliable so we knew it was .............

in good hands

His manner was deceptively casual and .......... In fact he was a very serious, decisive person.

offhand

I'm afraid I don't know her address ......... I'll tell you tomorrow after I've looked it up.

offhand

The situation is now ................... The authorities admit that they cannot control the rioting and crime.

out of hand

Three people were off sick at the office today so we were very ...........

short-handed

She was the first woman to sail the Atlantic ................ Her only problem was loneliness.

single-handed

I think we ought ......... and let him carry out the scheme as he thinks best without any interference from us.

to give him a free hand

She always has pencil and paper............. in case she suddenly sees an interesting person or place she wants to sketch

to hand

He is thought ........ a gold-smuggling operation now going on but the police can't prove it.

to have a hand in

The guerrillas are reported ....... The government forces are very much on the defensive.

to have the upper hand

He gave up playing the piano professionally years age but he still likes ...... by playing a little from time to time.

to keep his hands in

He wants nothing more to do with the idea. He just wants .......... the whole thing.

to wash his hands of

My older brother always beat me easily at tennis. He always used ......

to win hands down

He wouldn't have minded so much if they had told him to his face that they wanted to dismiss him. It was the ..... way in which they did it that upset him.

underhand