talk to the hand

English

Alternative forms

• talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening, tell it to the hand

Phrase

talk to the hand

1. (colloquial, US, African-American Vernacular, chiefly sarcastic) Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that one is not prepared to hear or read anything further from that person. It is often used while simultaneously holding up the hand with the palm facing the speaker.

Verb

talk to the hand (third-person singular simple present talks to the hand, present participle talking to the hand, simple past and past participle talked to the hand)

1. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (colloquial, US, African-American Vernacular, chiefly sarcastic) Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that one is not prepared to hear or read anything further from that person. It is often used while simultaneously holding up the hand with the palm facing the speaker.

   Girl, you can talk to the hand 'cause I ain't listenin' no more.

   • 1997, Todd Graff, The Beautician and the Beast, spoken by Joy Miller:

     Oh honey, talk to the hand, the ears ain't listening!

   • 2012, Joseph Greene, The ComMANdments; The Official Guide Book to Man Rules, page 161:

     Of all the hand gestures used by Men and women, "talking to the hand” is a gesture that should be exclusively used by women. There isn't anything Manly by making somebody "talk to the hand."

   • 2016, Donald Brackett, Back to Black: Amy Winehouse's Only Masterpiece:

     After his initial reaction and suggestion that she go write a song based on talking to the hand, she played him what she'd come up with, and he responded with his typically laconic "cool," suggesting they put some hand claps here and there and perhaps a minor chord in the verse to make it a bit jangly.

   • 2002, Ben Elton, High Society, Random House, published 2012, →ISBN, page 172:

     Tommy showed Tony the palm of his hand. ‘Tell it to the ’and ’cos the face ain't listening.’

   • 2022, Kelly Mitchell, Clap if You Can Hear Me:

     Canceling someone started out in the same way that talking to the hand did, a joke.

Translations

used to dismiss another person's argument

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 别烦，我不听

• Finnish: kiviäkin kiinnostaa, puhu johdolle, puhu pukille
• French: parle à ma main (fr)
• Portuguese: (Portugal) fala para a mão, (Brazil) fale com a mão
• Spanish: habla a la mano

See also

• whatever