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Glite Dictionary
to have one's hand out

to have one's hand out

1 8.8
To ask people for money by showing you need it
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : pedir limosna
  • When the charity event began, many people had their hands out, eager to receive donations.

Examples

  • He has his hand out to Drew for help.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • He stood on the street corner with his hand out, asking for spare change.

  • After losing his job, he often had his hand out, hoping for assistance from friends.

Synonyms

to beg
vsto have one's hand out
153 1.0

Ask someone humbly for money or food, often in public

is about asking or expecting money, not necessarily humble or earnest
to panhandle
vsto have one's hand out
  • Informal
7 7.5

To ask people in public for money

is broader, covering direct requests or expectations for money in any context
to ask for change
vsto have one's hand out
3 4.4

To request small amounts of money from people on the street

involves asking for money broadly, not only small amounts or coins
to panhandle for
vsto have one's hand out
  • Informal
1 8.2

To ask strangers on the street for money

is general requesting or expecting money, not limited to public approaches
to have your hand out
vsto have one's hand out
  • Informal
8.2

To ask for money or help without trying to earn it

is about asking directly or appearing in need rather than repeating
to mump
vsto have one's hand out
  • Archaic
9.9

To beg for food or money

is the modern neutral concept of requesting or expecting money

Antonyms

independent
984 2.3

Not controlled by others

self-sufficient
33 3.9

Can live without help from other people

How Needy

to beg
153 1.0
to have one's hand out
  • Informal
1 8.8
to ask
941 2.7

Surface Forms

have one's hand out infinitive
had one's hand out past
had one's hand out past participle
having one's hand out present participle
has one's hand out third person singular

Morphology

have + one's + hand + out

The phrase evokes the concrete gesture of presenting a hand to receive something, so a B1 learner who knows 'have', 'hand' and 'out' can plausibly infer a request to receive (often money). However, the meaning is partly conventionalized — the possessive construction ('one's hand out') and idiomatic sense of soliciting support are not fully predictable from literal composition, so it requires some pragmatic/figurative inference.

Etymology

Have one's hand out comes from the picture of someone holding their hand out to receive money or help, like a person asking on the street. That's why it means 'to ask for money' or 'expect to be given money'.