hand

hand terminal part of the forelimb in primates. The human hand consists of the wrist, palm, four fingers, and thumb. In humans and other primates, the thumb is opposable, i.e., it can be moved into a position opposite to the other four digits. Opposable thumbs make possible precise movements such as grasping small objects. In vertebrates other than humans, the primary function of the hand is locomotion; the human hand, due to the evolutionary development of bipedalism, is freed for manipulative tasks. There are 27 bones in the human hand. The wrist, which joins the hand to the forearm, contains eight cubelike bones arranged in two rows of four bones each. The metacarpus, or palm, is composed of five long metacarpal bones. Fourteen phalangeal bones constitute the four fingers and thumb (three in each finger, two in the thumb). Ligaments interconnect the bones of the hand. The bones of the digits are anchored to muscles in the hand and to muscles in the arms and shoulders, through connections to tendons, permitting a wide range of movements. Among humans, the undersides of the fingers and palms have distinctive ridges, which improve grip and can be used as identification marks.

hand (hand) n. the terminal organ of the upper limb. It comprises the eight bones of the carpus, the five metacarpal bones, and the phalangeal bones plus the surrounding tissues.

hand the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumb. From the mid 16th century, a linear measure, now used only of a horse's height, and equal to four inches; a hand-breadth.
from hand to mouth satisfying only one's immediate needs because of lack of money for future plans and investments; recorded from the early 16th century.
hand in glove in close collusion or association.
hand of glory originally a French charm made from a mandrake root; the phrase is a translation of French main de gloire, an alteration of the original mandragore ‘mandrake’. Later, the term came to mean a charm made from the hand of an executed criminal.
the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world proverbial saying, mid 19th century, referring to the strength of a woman's indirect influence on the male world; originally from the American poet William Ross Wallace (d. 1881), ‘For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world.’
one hand for oneself and one for the ship proverbial saying, late 18th century, meaning literally, hold on with one hand, and work the ship with the other.
one hand washes the other referring to cooperation between two closely linked persons or organizations. The saying is recorded in English from the late 16th century, but a similar thought is found earlier in Greek, in the writing of the poet Epicharmus (c.530–440 bc), and in Latin, in the writings of the Roman philosopher and poet Seneca the Younger (c.4 bc–ad 65).
put one's hand to the plough set out on a task from which one will not be deflected; originally with biblical allusion to Luke 9:62, ‘No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’
the right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing used to convey that there is a state of confusion within a group or organization; sometimes with biblical allusion to Matthew 6:3, ‘When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.’
with one hand tied behind one's back with serious limitations or restrictions.

See also a bird in the hand, eat out of one's hand, full cup, steady hand, hands, invisible hand, iron hand in a velvet glove.