Hand Movements

Hand Movements 

See Also: HANDSHAKE

1. Brushed at his forehead, like an insect had landed there —Donald McCaig
2. Clapped her hands like someone shooing pigeons —Sharon Sheehe Stark
3. Clapping as loudly as if their hands were wooden slats —Louis Auchincloss
4. Clapping her hands like cymbals —Ann Beattie
5. Clasped her hands behind her back like a child embarrassed at a social function, or stuck in the middle of a recitation —Peter De Vries
6. Cradled his hand in his lap, like it was a ruined bird —Donald McCaig
7. Flapped his hand like a flag —Mary Hedin
8. Flashing the palms of both hands like two headlights —Ludwig Bemelmans
9. Folding both hands in her lap like a reprimanded schoolgirl —Ed McBain
10. (He flagged the car with … ) gestures like hoops —Eudora Welty
11. A hand, like a leaf, fell on his shoulder —Katherine Mansfield
12. Hands clasped like the hands of an old man round a stick —Sylvia Townsend Warner
13. Hands flapping like misshapen white moths —Joan Hess
14. Hands flew off the steering wheel like a pair of startled birds —Ed McBain
15. Hands fluttered like the fins of angel-fish —Frank Swinnerton
16. (Her delicate) hands … flutter like birds —Phyllis McGinley
17. Hands gesticulating —flying through the air like two brown sparrows —Jonathan Kellerman
18. Hands jerked as if they were on wires —Dorothy Parker
19. Hands lifting out as if to smooth, like a sheet on a bed —John Updike
20. Hands rose and floated in the air, graceful and helpless as doves —Marge Piercy
21. Hands spread wide as calipers —Diane Ackerman
22. Hands were outspread as though he were leading an orchestra into a profound and final diminuendo —Ralph Ellison

    A plain and simple variation: “Raised his hand like an orchestra conductor.”

23. Hasty, jerky gestures like a comedian in a silent movie —George Garrett
24. Held up her hand like a schoolgirl asking for permission to leave the room —Harvey Swados
25. Held up his hand like a traffic cop signaling stop —Ross Thomas
26. Kept rattling the ice in her glass, rattling her beads, rattling her bracelet like an impatient pony jingling its harness —Flannery O’Connor
27. Long thin hand … floated like a scarf through the air —Marge Piercy
28. Nervous, tentative gesture, like someone making up his mind to stroke a dog that has the reputation of biting —Francis King
29. Opening and closing his fingers like a neon sign flickering at night —Ariel Dorfman
30. Passed her hand over her eyes as if to dispell a cloud —Robert Graves
31. Rearranges her hair like a horse shaking away a fly —W. P. Kinsella
32. Rubbing his hands together as if working tobacco for a pipe —Patrick White
33. Spread his hands in front of him, palms up, as if he intended to read in their lines the past as well as the future —Margaret Millar
34. Using his hands like a sculptor to shape the words he throws out —George Garrett
35. Wave as regal as Henry the Eighth’s —Mary Hedin