hand-wringing — excessive worry, anxiety, or anguish, especially when displayed openly
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: excessive worry, anxiety, or anguish, especially when displayed openly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhænd ˌrɪŋɪŋ/
Korean meaning: 과도한 걱정, 불안, 또는 고뇌 (특히 공개적으로 드러내는)
Korean pronunciation: **핸**드 **링**잉
Example Sentences
- Instead of all this hand-wringing about the test results, why don't we just study harder?
- The media's hand-wringing over the economy lasted for weeks after the stock market drop.
- Mom's hand-wringing about my messy room reached epic proportions when grandma visited.
hand-wringing
NOUN//ˈhænd ˌrɪŋɪŋ//
excessive worry, anxiety, or anguish, especially when displayed openly
a mother sits forward on a waiting room chair, literally wringing her hands together in repetitive twisting motions while her face shows deep concern. Her friend places a comforting hand on her shoulder as the mother continues the anxious hand movements. The mother's child has been in surgery for hours and she cannot stop the nervous fidgeting. Her excessive worry is visible to everyone around her through her body language and facial expressions. Other family members in nearby chairs watch her with sympathetic looks, recognizing her distress. excessive worry, anxiety, and anguish being displayed openly through physical actions
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🌳Etymology
Origin
From the literal physical gesture of wringing (twisting) one's hands together, a natural human response to anxiety or distress that has been observed across cultures for centuries.
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“Instead of all this hand-wringing about the test results, why don't we just study harder?”
“The media's hand-wringing over the economy lasted for weeks after the stock market drop.”
“Mom's hand-wringing about my messy room reached epic proportions when grandma visited.”
“The professor's hand-wringing lecture about climate change left everyone feeling anxious.”
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