Hand over Fist (Origin)

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Origin of the Saying "Hand over Fist"?

Making money hand over fist means to make a lot of money quickly. This term has a nautical history. It relates to the practice of climbing a rope hand over hand. This soon became known as hand over fist, with the fist being the hand gripping the rope. The term hand over fist soon evolved from making progress up a rope to making progress generally. Today, it relates only to financial gain.

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Hand over Fist (Origin)

Examples of Use:

  • He made money hand over fist with his successful investment strategy.
  • The company grew rapidly, earning profits hand over fist in the competitive market.
  • She was selling her handmade crafts hand over fist at the local market.
  • The team was scoring points hand over fist during the championship game.
  • Once the product was launched, it was selling hand over fist due to its high demand.

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What are idioms? What is figurative language? A list of common grammar errors A list of easily confused words A list of sayings and proverbs