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Have One's Hands Full

What Does "Have One's Hands Full" Mean?

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"Have one's hands full" is an English idiom. It means "to be extremely busy or preoccupied with various tasks, responsibilities, or challenges; to have more than enough to handle."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "have one's hands full" used in a sentence:
  • As a parent of twins, she constantly has her hands full taking care of their needs and demands.
  • During the holiday season, retailers often have their hands full managing high customer volumes and sales.
  • The project manager had her hands full coordinating the team's efforts to meet the tight deadline.
meaning for have one's hands full

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Have One's Hands Full" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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