wring (redirected from wringing hands)

hand-wringing

wring your hands - to show that you are very sad or anxious about a situation but do nothing to improve it. Until recently, the problem has been a subject for much hand-wringing and little else.

I'll wring your neck! (informal)

something that you say when you are very angry with someone. I'll wring his neck if he does it again. I could wring his neck, I feel so annoyed with him.

See also: I'll, neck

wring your hands

to show that you are very sad or anxious about a situation but do nothing to improve it. It's not enough for us to stand by and wring our hands - we've got to take action.

See also: hand

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wring your hands

to worry about something but not do anything about it. It's too bad your grades have dropped, but if you just wring your hands over it, nothing will improve.

See also: hand

wring something out of someone

to persuade someone to give you what you want. She is a very original comedian and can wring laughs out of any audience. The trick in fundraising is to wring money out of people who don't want to give it away.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of wring something out (= to twist cloth that is wet to get the water out of it)