keep your hands clean
🧤 keep your hands clean
Concrete Meaning
To refuse to be involved in illegal, unethical, or morally questionable activities, often while letting others take the blame.
💬 Context & Examples
Used in business and politics to describe someone who maintains their innocence by delegating the bad behavior to someone else.
- "The mob boss always made sure to keep his hands clean by making his soldiers commit the crimes."
- "I want to keep my hands clean in this office rivalry, so don't involve me."
🧠 Pattern Challenge
Test Yourself
If you hire someone to dig a muddy ditch while you watch from the porch, whose hands actually touch the dirt?
Show Answer
Only the worker's hands touch the dirt; yours remain spotless.