get hands dirty and dirty hands; soil hands

dirty (one's) hands

1. To partake in especially underhanded, illicit, or illegal work or activities. The public can't be allowed to think that I, a senate hopeful, would ever dirty my hands with a tax-evasion scheme such as that. The boss doesn't dirty his hands and deal directly with his enemies—he has thugs who take care of all that stuff for him. Why would you dirty your hands and personally sabotage your opponent's speech?

2. To do hard work, often manual labor. There is nothing more rewarding to me than dirtying my hands in my garden. I really appreciate your willingness to dirty your hands and help us move. You want me to dirty my hands working on a car engine? No thanks.

See also: dirty, hand

get (one's) hands dirty

1. To do hard work, often manual labor. There is nothing more rewarding to me than getting my hands dirty in my garden. I really appreciate you guys getting your hands dirty and helping us move. You want me to get my hands dirty working on a car engine? No thanks.

2. To be involved in something illegal or unseemly. Uncle Pete has been avoiding us ever since we discovered that he gets his hands dirty working for the mob. No one can know about my police record—I don't want people to think that I still get my hands dirty. The boss doesn't get his hands dirty and deal directly with his enemies—he has thugs who take care of all that stuff for him.

See also: dirty, get, hand

soil (one's) hands

To partake in especially underhanded, illicit, or illegal work or activities. The public can't be allowed to think that I, a senate hopeful, would ever soil my hands with a tax-evasion scheme such as that.

See also: hand, soil

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

get one's hands dirty and dirty one's hands; soil one's hands

 

1. Fig. to get closely involved in a difficult task. You have to get your hands dirty if you expect to get the gutters cleaned out.

2. Fig. to become involved with something illegal; to do a shameful thing; to do something that is beneath one. The mayor would never get his hands dirty by giving away political favors. I will not dirty my hands by breaking the law.

See also: and, dirty, get, hand, soil

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.