Dictionary definition of “can count on no hands”

can count on no hands

v. phr. to be able to arrive at a total of only zero. Subjects: English, Colloquial

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Citations: 1956 [Mary] Arlington Heights Herald (Illinois) (Aug. 23) “Quit Contrary” p. 4-1: I think 11 is too young to use paint and powder except on houses and in six shooters. This is discouraging for them as the house was just painted and the number of six shooters around the place can be counted on no hands. 1994 Judy Semas Business Journal (Santa Clara, California) (June 13) “It seems we’ve heard that song before: San Jose loses soccer visitors to ‘that city’” vol. 12, no. 9, p. 18: The amount of business we’ve gotten from the World Soccer Cup you can count on no hands.…We have no business tied to that event at all. 1995 Usenet: soc.culture.jewish (Mar. 26) “Re: healing the rift between reform and orthodox”: I was raised Orthodox and I can count on no hands the number of my friends and associates who know anything important about Torah. 2006 Karen Rosen @ Kearns, Utah United States Olympic Committee (Jan. 1): Speedskater Chad Hedrick says he can count on “no hands” the number of times he’s been in the weight room this year. But Hedrick needs all five fingers to tick off the events he’s qualified for in the Winter Olympics.

Posted 22 Jan 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend