Glad Hand Meaning | English Business Idioms

Script: Glad Hand Idiom Meaning Also Used: Give Someone a Glad Hand Give Someone the Glad Hand (Sometimes hyphenated to glad-hand) To glad hand someone or give them a glad hand is to greet them in an extremely warm and friendly manner, quite often insincerely or superficially in order to gain favor or advantage. Usage of Idiom Often used in regards to politics, the idiom does not always refer to a literal hand-shake but can refer to any enthusiastic and friendly greeting, especially when it is not sincere. Although the expression is usually negative, it can be neutral or positive, as when referring to a greeting between two old friends. The idiom often refers to politicians who enthusiastically shake hands with everyone in a crowd while smiling broadly. Glad-hand has, on occasion, been used as a noun to refer to a person. Someone who goes around shaking hands and speaking to everyone they meet might be referred to as a glad-hand. Examples Of Use “The CEO gave the investigators the glad hand while refusing to cooperate with their inquiries.“ “Candidates often spend hours glad-handing the crowds in small towns and kissing babies. It is hard to believe this behavior fools anyone.“ “They give visitors the glad hand but it’s clear they do not like to receive guests.“ Origin of Idiom: Used since the late 1800s. Although this idiom does not appear to have always been negative, the fairly transparent allusion here is to sticking out one’s hand and pretending to be glad to meet or greet someone. The purpose of glad-handing someone might be to have them in the palm of your hand. To have someone in the palm of your hand means to have control or influence over someone; to have someone in one’s power; to be able to get someone to do as you wish. Also, in regards to a performance or speech to have an audience in the palm of one’s hand means to have their complete attention; to hold them rapt. Example: “They say he has the president in the palm of his hand but the president is fickle and unpredictable.”