hold your hands up
Meaning(s)
1. admit wrongdoing over something
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
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Analysis
To 'put your hands in the air' or 'hold your hands up' is an internationally recognised gesture meaning 'to surrender'. If you say you 'put your hands up' or 'hold your hands up' you are expressing that you have made a mistake or are accepting responsibility for something that has gone wrong. "I hold my hands up and accept that I didn't do as much as I could to get this project off the ground." This is an expression primarily used in the UK and you will hear it used in social and professional contexts in situations where people admit fault.
Social Examples (Advance)
- When you've done something wrong, I believe that it is important to hold your hands up and accept responsibility.
- After being so rude to her, it was only right that I held my hands up and apologised.
- I hold my hands up to the fact that I can be difficult to work with sometimes, but that doesn't mean I deserve to be fired.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- I hold my hands up to the fact that I can be difficult to work with sometimes, but that doesn't mean I deserve to be fired.
- The best course of action to hold our hands up and come clean to the public about our mistake.