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to raise one's hands in victory

to raise one's hands in victory

3.4
Lift both arms above your head to show you have won
  • idiom
translation icon : levantar las manos en señal de victoria
  • The entire team raised their hands in victory after winning the championship.

Examples

  • The crowd raised their hands in victory!

  • He smiled and raised his hands in victory as the crowd cheered him on.

  • She couldn't help but raise her hands in victory when she finished the marathon first.

  • After winning the match, she raised her hands in victory.

  • After winning the game, the players raised their hands in victory.

  • She raised her hands in victory as soon as she crossed the finish line first.

  • The crowd raised their hands in victory when their team scored the winning goal.

Synonyms

to cheer
vsto raise one's hands in victory
356 1.0

To shout to show support for someone or something

expresses support instead by a visible arm gesture
to applaud
vsto raise one's hands in victory
101 2.6

To clap your hands to show approval after a performance

celebrates instead by a visible arm gesture rather than clapping
to triumph
vsto raise one's hands in victory
60 3.4

To win or succeed and feel great joy

expresses that joy with a visible arm gesture
to exult
vsto raise one's hands in victory
  • Formal
6 7.0

Feel or show great joy after a success

shows that joy using a visible arm gesture

How Triumphant

to jump for joy
  • Informal
6 2.5
to celebrate
1.4
cheer
205 1.0
to raise one's hands in victory
3.4
to smile
1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

raise + one + hand + in + victory

The meaning 'to lift both arms above one's head as a sign of triumph' is directly and literally composed from 'raise' (lift), 'hands' (arms), and 'in victory' (as a result of success). This physical gesture and the construction are cross-linguistically common and follow straightforward composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The expression raise one's hands in victory comes from the simple image of someone lifting both arms high so their hands are above their head to show they have won. So, it means 'triumph' or 'celebration' after success.