Example: Hij probeerde zijn handen in onschuld te wassen na het probleem.
Definition
"Zijn handen in onschuld wassen" means to absolve oneself of responsibility or blame, especially after a problem or wrongdoing. It describes an attempt to appear innocent or uninvolved in a situation where one might actually be implicated.
The phrase "zijn handen in onschuld wassen" literally translates to 'wash one's hands in innocence.' It originates from the biblical story of Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands to show he did not want to be responsible for Jesus' crucifixion. Over time, it came to symbolize denying responsibility while avoiding guilt.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Zijn handen in onschuld wassen" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to wash one's hands of responsibility