'To lay hands on' definitions:
Definition of 'To lay hands on'
From: GCIDE
- Lay \Lay\ (l[=a]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Laid (l[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Laying.] [OE. leggen, AS. lecgan, causative, fr. licgan to lie; akin to D. leggen, G. legen, Icel. leggja, Goth. lagjan. See Lie to be prostrate.]
- 1. To cause to lie down, to be prostrate, or to lie against something; to put or set down; to deposit; as, to lay a book on the table; to lay a body in the grave; a shower lays the dust. [1913 Webster]
- A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den. --Dan. vi. 17. [1913 Webster]
- Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To place in position; to establish firmly; to arrange with regularity; to dispose in ranks or tiers; as, to lay a corner stone; to lay bricks in a wall; to lay the covers on a table. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To prepare; to make ready; to contrive; to provide; as, to lay a snare, an ambush, or a plan. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint. [1913 Webster]
- 5. To cause to be still; to calm; to allay; to suppress; to exorcise, as an evil spirit. [1913 Webster]
- After a tempest when the winds are laid. --Waller. [1913 Webster]
- 6. To cause to lie dead or dying. [1913 Webster]
- Brave C[ae]neus laid Ortygius on the plain, The victor C[ae]neus was by Turnus slain. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 7. To deposit, as a wager; to stake; to risk. [1913 Webster]
- I dare lay mine honor He will remain so. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 8. To bring forth and deposit; as, to lay eggs. [1913 Webster]
- 9. To apply; to put. [1913 Webster]
- She layeth her hands to the spindle. --Prov. xxxi. 19. [1913 Webster]
- 10. To impose, as a burden, suffering, or punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land. [1913 Webster]
- The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. --Is. liii. 6. [1913 Webster]
- 11. To impute; to charge; to allege. [1913 Webster]
- God layeth not folly to them. --Job xxiv. 12. [1913 Webster]
- Lay the fault on us. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 12. To impose, as a command or a duty; as, to lay commands on one. [1913 Webster]
- 13. To present or offer; as, to lay an indictment in a particular county; to lay a scheme before one. [1913 Webster]
- 14. (Law) To state; to allege; as, to lay the venue. --Bouvier. [1913 Webster]
- 15. (Mil.) To point; to aim; as, to lay a gun. [1913 Webster]
- 16. (Rope Making) To put the strands of (a rope, a cable, etc.) in their proper places and twist or unite them; as, to lay a cable or rope. [1913 Webster]
- 17. (Print.) (a) To place and arrange (pages) for a form upon the imposing stone. (b) To place (new type) properly in the cases. [1913 Webster]
- To lay asleep, to put sleep; to make unobservant or careless. --Bacon.
- To lay bare, to make bare; to strip. [1913 Webster]
- And laid those proud roofs bare to summer's rain. --Byron.
- To lay before, to present to; to submit for consideration; as, the papers are laid before Congress.
- To lay by. (a) To save. (b) To discard. [1913 Webster]
- Let brave spirits . . . not be laid by. --Bacon.
- To lay by the heels, to put in the stocks. --Shak.
- To lay down. (a) To stake as a wager. (b) To yield; to relinquish; to surrender; as, to lay down one's life; to lay down one's arms. (c) To assert or advance, as a proposition or principle.
- To lay forth. (a) To extend at length; (reflexively) to exert one's self; to expatiate. [Obs.] (b) To lay out (as a corpse). [Obs.] --Shak.
- To lay hands on, to seize.
- To lay hands on one's self, or {To lay violent hands on one's self}, to injure one's self; specif., to commit suicide.
- To lay heads together, to consult.
- To lay hold of, or To lay hold on, to seize; to catch.
- To lay in, to store; to provide.
- To lay it on, to apply without stint. --Shak.
- To lay it on thick, to flatter excessively.
- To lay on, to apply with force; to inflict; as, to lay on blows.
- To lay on load, to lay on blows; to strike violently. [Obs. or Archaic]
- To lay one's self out, to strive earnestly. [1913 Webster]
- No selfish man will be concerned to lay out himself for the good of his country. --Smalridge. [1913 Webster]
- To lay one's self open to, to expose one's self to, as to an accusation.
- To lay open, to open; to uncover; to expose; to reveal.
- To lay over, to spread over; to cover.
- To lay out. (a) To expend. --Macaulay. (b) To display; to discover. (c) To plan in detail; to arrange; as, to lay out a garden. (d) To prepare for burial; as, to lay out a corpse. (e) To exert; as, to lay out all one's strength.
- To lay siege to. (a) To besiege; to encompass with an army. (b) To beset pertinaciously.
- To lay the course (Naut.), to sail toward the port intended without jibing.
- To lay the land (Naut.), to cause it to disappear below the horizon, by sailing away from it.
- To lay to (a) To charge upon; to impute. (b) To apply with vigor. (c) To attack or harass. [Obs.] --Knolles. (d) (Naut.) To check the motion of (a vessel) and cause it to be stationary.
- To lay to heart, to feel deeply; to consider earnestly.
- To lay under, to subject to; as, to lay under obligation or restraint.
- To lay unto. (a) Same as To lay to (above). (b) To put before. --Hos. xi. 4.
- To lay up. (a) To store; to reposit for future use. (b) To confine; to disable. (c) To dismantle, and retire from active service, as a ship.
- To lay wait for, to lie in ambush for.
- To lay waste, to destroy; to make desolate; as, to lay waste the land. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: See Put, v. t., and the Note under 4th Lie. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'To lay hands on'
From: GCIDE
- Hand \Hand\ (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h["o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. Hunt.]
- 1. That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in man and monkeys, and the corresponding part in many other animals; manus; paw. See Manus. [1913 Webster]
- 2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand; as: (a) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey. (b) An index or pointer on a dial; as, the hour or minute hand of a clock. [1913 Webster]
- 3. A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Side; part; direction, either right or left. [1913 Webster]
- On this hand and that hand, were hangings. --Ex. xxxviii. 15. [1913 Webster]
- The Protestants were then on the winning hand. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity. [1913 Webster]
- He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
- 6. Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance. [1913 Webster]
- To change the hand in carrying on the war. --Clarendon. [1913 Webster]
- Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand. --Judges vi. 36. [1913 Webster]
- 7. An agent; a servant, or laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty; a performer more or less skillful; as, a deck hand; a farm hand; an old hand at speaking. [1913 Webster]
- A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be hoped for. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
- I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile. --Hazlitt. [1913 Webster]
- 8. Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad, or running hand. Hence, a signature. [1913 Webster]
- I say she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention and his hand. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Some writs require a judge's hand. --Burril. [1913 Webster]
- 9. Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; -- usually in the plural. "Receiving in hand one year's tribute." --Knolles. [1913 Webster]
- Albinus . . . found means to keep in his hands the government of Britain. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 10. Agency in transmission from one person to another; as, to buy at first hand, that is, from the producer, or when new; at second hand, that is, when no longer in the producer's hand, or when not new. [1913 Webster]
- 11. Rate; price. [Obs.] "Business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch." --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
- 12. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once; as: (a) (Card Playing) The quota of cards received from the dealer. (b) (Tobacco Manuf.) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together. [1913 Webster]
- 13. (Firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as: (a) Activity; operation; work; -- in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection. "His hand will be against every man." --Gen. xvi. 12. (b) Power; might; supremacy; -- often in the Scriptures. "With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you." --Ezek. xx. 33. (c) Fraternal feeling; as, to give, or take, the hand; to give the right hand. (d) Contract; -- commonly of marriage; as, to ask the hand; to pledge the hand. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Hand is often used adjectively or in compounds (with or without the hyphen), signifying performed by the hand; as, hand blow or hand-blow, hand gripe or hand-gripe: used by, or designed for, the hand; as, hand ball or handball, hand bow, hand fetter, hand grenade or hand-grenade, handgun or hand gun, handloom or hand loom, handmill or hand organ or handorgan, handsaw or hand saw, hand-weapon: measured or regulated by the hand; as, handbreadth or hand's breadth, hand gallop or hand-gallop. Most of the words in the following paragraph are written either as two words or in combination. [1913 Webster]
- Hand bag, a satchel; a small bag for carrying books, papers, parcels, etc.
- Hand basket, a small or portable basket.
- Hand bell, a small bell rung by the hand; a table bell. --Bacon.
- Hand bill, a small pruning hook. See 4th Bill.
- Hand car. See under Car.
- Hand director (Mus.), an instrument to aid in forming a good position of the hands and arms when playing on the piano; a hand guide.
- Hand drop. See Wrist drop.
- Hand gallop. See under Gallop.
- Hand gear (Mach.), apparatus by means of which a machine, or parts of a machine, usually operated by other power, may be operated by hand.
- Hand glass. (a) A glass or small glazed frame, for the protection of plants. (b) A small mirror with a handle.
- Hand guide. Same as Hand director (above).
- Hand language, the art of conversing by the hands, esp. as practiced by the deaf and dumb; dactylology.
- Hand lathe. See under Lathe.
- Hand money, money paid in hand to bind a contract; earnest money.
- Hand organ (Mus.), a barrel organ, operated by a crank turned by hand.
- Hand plant. (Bot.) Same as Hand tree (below). -- {Hand rail}, a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. --Gwilt.
- Hand sail, a sail managed by the hand. --Sir W. Temple.
- Hand screen, a small screen to be held in the hand.
- Hand screw, a small jack for raising heavy timbers or weights; (Carp.) a screw clamp.
- Hand staff (pl. Hand staves), a javelin. --Ezek. xxxix. 9.
- Hand stamp, a small stamp for dating, addressing, or canceling papers, envelopes, etc.
- Hand tree (Bot.), a lofty tree found in Mexico (Cheirostemon platanoides), having red flowers whose stamens unite in the form of a hand.
- Hand vise, a small vise held in the hand in doing small work. --Moxon.
- Hand work, or Handwork, work done with the hands, as distinguished from work done by a machine; handiwork.
- All hands, everybody; all parties.
- At all hands, On all hands, on all sides; from every direction; generally.
- At any hand, At no hand, in any (or no) way or direction; on any account; on no account. "And therefore at no hand consisting with the safety and interests of humility." --Jer. Taylor.
- At first hand, At second hand. See def. 10 (above).
- At hand. (a) Near in time or place; either present and within reach, or not far distant. "Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet." --Shak. (b) Under the hand or bridle. [Obs.] "Horses hot at hand." --Shak.
- At the hand of, by the act of; as a gift from. "Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil?" --Job ii. 10.
- Bridle hand. See under Bridle.
- By hand, with the hands, in distinction from instrumentality of tools, engines, or animals; as, to weed a garden by hand; to lift, draw, or carry by hand.
- Clean hands, freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. "He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." --Job xvii. 9.
- From hand to hand, from one person to another.
- Hand in hand. (a) In union; conjointly; unitedly. --Swift. (b) Just; fair; equitable.
- As fair and as good, a kind of hand in hand comparison. --Shak.
- Hand over hand, Hand over fist, by passing the hands alternately one before or above another; as, to climb hand over hand; also, rapidly; as, to come up with a chase hand over hand.
- Hand over head, negligently; rashly; without seeing what one does. [Obs.] --Bacon.
- Hand running, consecutively; as, he won ten times hand running.
- Hands off! keep off! forbear! no interference or meddling!
- Hand to hand, in close union; in close fight; as, a hand to hand contest. --Dryden.
- Heavy hand, severity or oppression.
- In hand. (a) Paid down. "A considerable reward in hand, and . . . a far greater reward hereafter." --Tillotson. (b) In preparation; taking place. --Chaucer. "Revels . . . in hand." --Shak. (c) Under consideration, or in the course of transaction; as, he has the business in hand.
- In one's hand or In one's hands. (a) In one's possession or keeping. (b) At one's risk, or peril; as, I took my life in my hand.
- Laying on of hands, a form used in consecrating to office, in the rite of confirmation, and in blessing persons.
- Light hand, gentleness; moderation.
- Note of hand, a promissory note.
- Off hand, Out of hand, forthwith; without delay, hesitation, or difficulty; promptly. "She causeth them to be hanged up out of hand." --Spenser.
- Off one's hands, out of one's possession or care.
- On hand, in present possession; as, he has a supply of goods on hand.
- On one's hands, in one's possession care, or management.
- Putting the hand under the thigh, an ancient Jewish ceremony used in swearing.
- Right hand, the place of honor, power, and strength.
- Slack hand, idleness; carelessness; inefficiency; sloth.
- Strict hand, severe discipline; rigorous government.
- To bear a hand (Naut.), to give help quickly; to hasten.
- To bear in hand, to keep in expectation with false pretenses. [Obs.] --Shak.
- To be hand and glove with or To be hand in glove with. See under Glove.
- To be on the mending hand, to be convalescent or improving.
- To bring up by hand, to feed (an infant) without suckling it.
- To change hand. See Change.
- To change hands, to change sides, or change owners. --Hudibras.
- To clap the hands, to express joy or applause, as by striking the palms of the hands together.
- To come to hand, to be received; to be taken into possession; as, the letter came to hand yesterday.
- To get hand, to gain influence. [Obs.]
- Appetites have . . . got such a hand over them. --Baxter.
- To get one's hand in, to make a beginning in a certain work; to become accustomed to a particular business.
- To have a hand in, to be concerned in; to have a part or concern in doing; to have an agency or be employed in.
- To have in hand. (a) To have in one's power or control. --Chaucer. (b) To be engaged upon or occupied with.
- To have one's hands full, to have in hand all that one can do, or more than can be done conveniently; to be pressed with labor or engagements; to be surrounded with difficulties.
- To have the (higher) upper hand, or {To get the (higher) upper hand}, to have, or get, the better of another person or thing.
- To his hand, To my hand, etc., in readiness; already prepared. "The work is made to his hands." --Locke.
- To hold hand, to compete successfully or on even conditions. [Obs.] --Shak.
- To lay hands on, to seize; to assault.
- To lend a hand, to give assistance.
- To lift the hand against, or {To put forth the hand against}, to attack; to oppose; to kill.
- To live from hand to mouth, to obtain food and other necessaries as want compels, without previous provision.
- To make one's hand, to gain advantage or profit.
- To put the hand unto, to steal. --Ex. xxii. 8.
- To put the last hand to or To put the finishing hand to, to make the last corrections in; to complete; to perfect.
- To set the hand to, to engage in; to undertake.
- That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to. --Deut. xxiii. 20.
- To stand one in hand, to concern or affect one.
- To strike hands, to make a contract, or to become surety for another's debt or good behavior.
- To take in hand. (a) To attempt or undertake. (b) To seize and deal with; as, he took him in hand.
- To wash the hands of, to disclaim or renounce interest in, or responsibility for, a person or action; as, to wash one's hands of a business. --Matt. xxvii. 24.
- Under the hand of, authenticated by the handwriting or signature of; as, the deed is executed under the hand and seal of the owner. [1913 Webster]