wash your hands of somebody/something

wash (one's) hands of (someone or something)

1. To absolve oneself of or distance oneself from responsibility for something. I don't want to be part of this scheme any more. I wash my hands of it.

2. To renounce, abandon, or distance oneself from someone or something. The director famously hated the final cut of the movie and has washed his hands of it, even going so far as to remove his name from the project. I'm afraid that if I tell my parents what I've done, they will wash their hands of me.

See also: hand, of, wash

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

wash your hands of

disclaim responsibility for.

This phrase originally alluded to the biblical description of Pontius Pilate, who, when he was forced to condemn Jesus to death, sent for a bowl of water and ritually washed his hands before the crowd as a sign that he was innocent of ‘this just person’ (Matthew 27:24).

See also: hand, of, wash

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

wash your ˈhands of somebody/something

refuse to deal with or be responsible for somebody/something any longer: After the way she’s behaved, I’m never going to help her again! I wash my hands of her! ♢ I can’t just wash my hands of the whole business. I’ve got responsibilities.This idiom refers to Pontius Pilate in the Bible, who refused to take a decision about what should happen to Jesus.

See also: hand, of, somebody, something, wash

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017