Example: Wir haben alle Hände voll zu tun, um das Projekt zu beenden.
Definition
"alle Hände voll zu tun haben" means to be extremely busy or occupied with many tasks, often to the point of having no free time. For example, it describes a situation where someone has so much work that all their hands are full, like in the phrase: 'Wir haben alle Hände voll zu tun, um das Projekt zu beenden.'
Translations
have one's hands full
tener muchísimo que hacer
de handen vol hebben
anar molt enfeinat
avoir fort à faire
Etymology
The phrase "alle Hände voll zu tun haben" literally translates to 'to have all hands full to do.' It originates from the idea of needing all available hands to complete a task, emphasizing being very busy. Its roots are in everyday expressions about manual work, where having 'all hands' engaged means no help is left unused.
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"Alle Hände voll zu tun haben" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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have one's hands full