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 #2 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 10:30 am 'be heavy on hand' |
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Hi,
Maybe something like :
-difficult to achive
-not easy available
I have asked two English whose work with me,but they said without context they can't help.
"on hand" in my dictionary means:
close by , available
Regards
Jan |
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 Jan
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| #3 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:25 am 'be heavy on hand' |
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Hi Jan,
I heard (it seems...) it as an equivalent 'time hangs heavy' (if I understood it right. Possibly, not. :()
Also, one time I suspected that it was used to say something unpleasant about a person. Possibly (:)) that he is boring and dull, or something like that.
Or, maybe it also was about the time (of conversation with that tedious and didactic person.)
But you all here know that sometimes I am too suspicious, unfounded :)
That's the reason, why I just ask.
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Tamara
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| #4 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:25 pm Idiomatic expression 'be heavy on hand' |
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Do you have this confused with heavy-handed?
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Mister Micawber
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| #5 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:37 pm Idiomatic expression 'be heavy on hand' |
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| Mister Micawber wrote: |
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Do you have this confused with heavy-handed?
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It seems, not, Mister Micawber.
I know the expression you mentioned.
Let's check.
In my understanding, heavy-handed may be said about a person who is awkward and clumsy (literally - 'handless' :) in my native :) language).
Or I’d use 'hand-handed' (both in my language and in English) characterising a person who definitely has n’t ‘green fingers’ (flowers refuse to grow well after he/she planted them :)
Or about a person (hairdresser :)) who had cut my hair ends – and after that my hair made a poor growth :(
:)
Or I can say in a heavy-handed way when mean 'applying power'.
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Tamara
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| #6 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:56 pm Idiomatic expression 'be heavy on hand' |
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Well, I have never heard or used heavy on hand, though I see it is in Roget's Thesaurus:
641. Redundance.
...VERB:
...wallow in; roll in (plenty) [See Sufficiency]; remain on one’s hands, hang heavy on hand, go a-begging or go begging; exaggerate [See Exaggeration].
Perhaps it is old-fashioned.
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| #7 (permalink) Sun Sep 10, 2006 13:55 pm Idiomatic expression 'be heavy on hand' |
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Hi Tamara
I'd never heard (or used) "heavy on hand" or "hang heavy on hand" either.
About "heavy-handed"... I rarely (if ever) use that to mean clumsy. I always use it to mean tactless or harsh (as in definitions 2 + 3 in the link):
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/heavy-handed
Amy
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