Wring somebody’s hand
phrase
To hold someone's hand warmly and squeeze it firmly but gently as a greeting or goodbye, or to show sympathy or comfort.
After the funeral, everyone came up to wring my hand.
Often appears as...
- wring someone's hand warmly
- wring someone's hand after event
phrase
To turn and squeeze something, especially someone's hand, in order to extract liquid from it.
He wrung my hand so hard, I thought he was trying to extract juice from it.
Often appears as...
- wring someone's hand hard
- wring someone's hand excessively
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
phrase
To hold someone's hand warmly and squeeze it firmly but gently as a greeting or goodbye, or to show sympathy or comfort.
After the funeral, everyone came up to wring my hand.
Often appears as...
- wring someone's hand warmly
- wring someone's hand after event
phrase
To turn and squeeze something, especially someone's hand, in order to extract liquid from it.
He wrung my hand so hard, I thought he was trying to extract juice from it.
Often appears as...
- wring someone's hand hard
- wring someone's hand excessively
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Warm Gesture
Used to express genuine emotions during personal interactions.
They hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they wrung each other's hands warmly.
Pro Tip 2/3Misinterpretation Risk
Be careful not to overdo the gesture as it might seem insincere.
He wrung my hand so enthusiastically, it felt a bit over the top.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Sensitivity
Recognize it varies by culture; in some, it's standard, in others, it's too intimate.
In her country, wringing someone's hand is not common and can be awkward.
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