hands up

Idioms  

1. A direction or order to hold one's hands high, as in Hands up or I'll shoot! This imperative is used by police officers and criminals so that they can see if someone is holding a weapon. [Second half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hands up

She stopped in the middle of the woods during a walk, looked with disapproval at my light jacket, and threw her hands up in mock confusion, surveying the snow-encrusted pines.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

By Saturday Infantino held his hands up and withdrew the plan.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

“I immediately ducked down, put my hands up, and covered my head,” she said.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

At some point, Silva peeks into the bushes and orders Garcia several times to come out with his hands up and to stop touching his bags.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

“You did it,” Ma says, throwing her hands up.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer