Anthony: Mary, will you ever go out with me? Mary: Anthony, I really have my hands full right now. Anthony: I'm not asking you to marry me. I just want to grab a cup of coffee or something. Mary: Why me? Anthony: Because you're smart, gorgeous, and kind. Mary: Well, since you put it that way, maybe a cup of coffee wouldn't hurt.
本俚語字面上的意思是指『雙手都滿了』。可想而知，如果雙手都抓滿了東西，就沒有辦法再去做別的事，也就是我們常說的『分身乏術』。想拒絕他人的邀約卻又不知如何開口時，不妨效法瑪麗，將 have one's hands full 這個俚語學起來，如此既能大秀自己的英文，又能無傷大雅地拒絕對方。
阿雄一下子要去見客戶，一下子又要開會，忙得不得了，所以當老闆拉肚子叫他去買衛生紙時，他只能說： I'm sorry, but I have my hands full at this moment.
（不好意思，我現在實在是分身乏術。）
會用到 hand 的俚語常常跟『做事情』有關。例如：
have a free hand to V 有充分揮灑空間做⋯⋯ have a hand in... 參與做⋯⋯
阿雄深受老闆信任，連衛生紙的牌子都讓他決定，所以我們可以說： He has a free hand to choose the brand of toilet paper.
= He has the freedom to choose the brand of toilet paper.
（他有選擇衛生紙牌子的自由。）
He has a hand in the decision to buy that brand of toilet paper.
（他參與了買該品牌衛生紙的決定。）
hand 也可作動詞，表『交給』。
阿雄的老闆想上廁所，可是阿雄卻遲遲未買衛生紙回來，最後他受不了，就邊衝向廁所邊對辦公室小妹大叫： Quick, hand me the newspaper!
= Quick, give me the newspaper!
（趕快把報紙給我！）
