Home UK English lay one's hands on

Meaning of lay one's hands on in English:

lay one's hands on

(also lay hands on)

phrase

  • 1Find or get something.

    ‘I read everything I could lay my hands on’
    • ‘I could not lay my hands on any textbooks.’
    • ‘The national weightlifter has finally laid his hands on a medal.’
    • ‘Help yourself to as much as you could possibly lay your hands on.’
    • ‘Hundreds of customers elbowed their way forward in an attempt to lay their hands on the hottest deals of the year.’
    • ‘They have failed to lay their hands on a major cup trophy in that four-year period.’
    • ‘Police will investigate how he managed to lay his hands on the two-wheeler after it was seized earlier.’
    • ‘Laying his hands on ingredients is not a problem.’
    • ‘She didn't have a driving licence or a passport and couldn't lay her hands on any other picture identification.’
    • ‘My morning routine consists of running a hairbrush through my bed hair and throwing on whatever minimal make-up I can lay my hands on.’
    • ‘Such was his reticence that in searching years worth of archive photos from the club, I couldn't lay my hands on a single one of him.’

  • 2Place one's hands on (someone), especially as an act of blessing or spiritual healing.

    ‘the service ended with the bishops laying hands on each of the victims’
    • ‘he laid his hands on the participants, praying over them one by one’
    • ‘Jesus laid hands on lepers, teaching courage and love.’
    • ‘He tried to bring back the "royal touch"—the already-antiquated notion that a king could lay hands on his subjects to cure them of diseases.’
    • ‘He walked through the huge swarm of believers who thronged the event, praying for them and laying hands on them.’
    • ‘Staff then laid hands on Mr Davis and prayed for him.’
    • ‘They thought he was demonised, so we started laying hands on him.’
    • ‘I see my husband laying hands on the sick and they're getting healed.’
    • ‘Each priest may lay hands on the sick person.’
    • ‘We have seen great works happen through the act of faith when the elders lay hands on the sick.’
    • ‘The sick person is then anointed with oil and the elders lay hands on the ill while one prays.’
    • ‘Those not afflicted began to lay hands on the ill members and pray over their bodies.’