hand tight

American  

Or hand-tight

adjective

1. (of a setscrew, nut, etc.) as tight as it can be made by hand, without the aid of a tool.

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Etymology

Origin of hand tight

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

By Jan. 29 I was squeezing his hand tight just hours after he died in the ICU, vowing to hold on until we had to leave him behind.

From Los Angeles Times

I would grip my father's hand tight as the butcher's blade sliced through the lamb's neck like butter, wincing at the blood and sinew.

From Salon

She gripped my hand tight and then looked into my eyes.

From The New Yorker

The disturbing footage from a May protest in Paris begins with a man in a black jacket, gray hoodie and police helmet forcefully pushing a woman down the street, his right hand tight around the back of her neck.

From Los Angeles Times

My mom held my hand tight as she walk-sprinted through the city.

From New York Times