give someone the finger

give (one) the finger

1. To raise the middle finger (a rude gesture of anger or displeasure) at one. What are you giving me the finger for, I didn't even say anything insulting! I gave my brother the finger after he said that he'd never seen a worse basketball player than me. The player got in trouble when cameras caught him giving an opponent the finger.

2. To treat one poorly or display contempt for one. Making us sit in the very back row is basically his way of giving us the finger. Would you relax? I don't think he was trying to give you the finger by not inviting you—it was just an oversight. I already thought those people didn't like me, and they really gave me the finger by not sending a car to pick me up from the airport!

See also: finger, give

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

give someone the finger

make a gesture with the middle finger raised as an obscene sign of contempt. North American informal

Since 1976 , this gesture has sometimes been called the Rockefeller Gesture after Nelson Rockefeller was seen making it on a news film.

See also: finger, give, someone

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

give someone the finger

1. tv. to display the middle finger upright as a sign of derision. (The gesture is taboo.) Somebody gave the cop the finger.

2. tv. to mistreat someone; to insult someone. You’ve been giving me the finger ever since I started working here. What’s wrong?

See also: finger, give, someone

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.