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to have sth on one's hands
01
to need to deal with something as a part of one's responsibilities or obligations
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What is the origin of the idiom "have something on one's hands" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "have something on one's hands" is unclear, but it has been in use since at least the 16th century. It is used to describe a situation where someone has a problem or responsibility that they need to deal with.
Example
He is in between jobs at the moment, so he has time on his hands to travel and pursue personal projects.
She often volunteers at the local shelter because she has time on her hands after retiring.
They will have a new project on their hands next month.
They finished their work early, so they had time on their hands to catch up on their favorite TV series.
After completing the project ahead of schedule, he had time on his hands to take a short vacation.
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