Not dirty hands - Idioms by The Free Dictionary
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not dirty (one's) hands

(redirected from not dirty hands)

not dirty (one's) hands

1. To not partake in dirty, menial, or otherwise unpleasant work, typically because one considers it to be unworthy of their rank or status. I'll not dirty my hands with a peasant's work, I'll have you know!
2. To refuse to partake in especially underhanded, illicit, or illegal work or activities. I can only reiterate to the public at large that I, as a senate hopeful and a law-abiding citizen, would not dirty my hands with a tax-evasion scheme such as that.
See also: dirty, hand, not
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

not dirty your hands

If someone does not dirty their hands doing something, they avoid doing physical work or an activity that some people consider unpleasant. These people have never had to dirty their hands to earn a living. Very few academics with his reputation are willing to dirty their hands with political activity to the extent that he does. Note: This expression is often used to criticize someone for not getting involved in things. Compare with get your hands dirty.
See also: dirty, hand, not
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
See also:
  • not dirty your hands
  • dirty beau
  • public
  • do (one's)/the dirty work
  • do someone's dirty work
  • dirty work at the crossroads
  • does
  • dirty
  • dirty pool
  • pool


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  • not care two pins (about something)
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  • not cup of tea
  • not cut it
  • not cut out for (something)
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  • not darken (one's) door again
  • not darken somewhere's door
  • not darken the door of (some place)
  • not darken the doorstep of (some place)
  • not dirty (one's) hands
  • not dirty hands
  • not dirty your hands
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • not do a hand's turn
  • not do a lot for (someone)
  • not do a stroke
  • not do a stroke (of work)
  • not do a stroke of work
  • not do anything by halves
  • not do anything for (someone)
  • not do anything/a lot/much for somebody
  • not do much for (someone)
  • not do things by halves
  • not done
  • not dream of something/of doing something
  • not dry behind the ears
  • not enough room to swing a cat
  • not everything (someone or something) is cracked up to be
  • not exactly
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  • not darken door again
  • not darken somebody's door again
  • not darken somewhere's door
  • not darken somewhere's doorstep
  • not darken the door of
  • not darken the door of (some place)
  • not darken the door of (someplace)
  • not darken the doorstep of
  • not darken the doorstep of (some place)
  • not darken the doorstep of (someplace)
  • Not Data Accepted
  • not day
  • not day
  • not day
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  • not day
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  • Not Dead Yet
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  • not Delete
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  • Not Detectable
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  • Not Developed Here
  • Not Diagnosed with Anything
  • not dirty (one's) hands
  • not dirty hands
  • not dirty her hands
  • not dirty his hands
  • not dirty my hands
  • not dirty our hands
  • not dirty someone's hands
  • not dirty their hands
  • not dirty your hands
  • not dirtying hands
  • not dirtying her hands
  • not dirtying his hands
  • not dirtying my hands
  • not dirtying our hands
  • not dirtying someone's hands
  • not dirtying their hands
  • not dirtying your hands
  • not Dismount
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • not do a hand's turn
  • not do a lot for
  • not do a lot for (someone)
  • not do a lot for somebody
  • not do a lot/a lot/much for somebody
  • not do a stroke
  • not do a stroke (of work)
  • not do a stroke of work
  • not do any favors
  • not do any favours
  • not do anything by halves
  • not do anything for
  • not do anything for (someone)
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