# back of the hand

**Pronunciation:** bæk əv ðə hænd · BAK-uv-thuh-HAND

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** noun phrase

## Meaning

The dorsal surface of the human hand, often used as a gesture of contempt or a forceful striking surface.

## Examples

- She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of the hand.
- The insult was delivered with a dismissive wave of the back of the hand.
- He struck the table with the back of the hand to emphasize his anger.

## Synonyms

- dorsum — The technical anatomical term for the back of the hand.

## Collocations

- with the back of the hand — He wiped his mouth with the back of the hand.
- dismissive back of the hand — She gave him a dismissive back of the hand and walked away.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/back%20of%20the%20hand

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