# Tell it to the hand...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 28, 2000, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634 "2000-01-28T19:36:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634/1 "2000-01-28T19:36:00Z")

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Where did the phrase, “Tell it to the hand, 'cause the face ain’t gonna listen!” come from.

I’ve heard it on a number of sitcoms, coming from little kids usually.

Frankly, I’d be this close:  
| |  
to letting the brat “hear” what my hand has to say.

* * *

When danger reared its ugly head,  
He bravely turned his tail and fled

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634/2 "2000-01-28T20:08:00Z")

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Couldn’t find your phrase in particular, but here is a good link to find others.  
[http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/go.html](http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/go.html)

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**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634/3 "2000-01-28T23:27:00Z")

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From the Oscar Wilde short story LORD ARTHUR SAVILE’S CRIME

Found at the site… [http://www.blackmask.com/olbooks/ldasc.htm](http://www.blackmask.com/olbooks/ldasc.htm)

"Now, Mr. Podgers, I want you to tell the Duchess of Paisley’s hand. Duchess, you must take your glove off. No, not the left hand, the other.’ "

It regards the art of palm reading in this story.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2000, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634/4 "2000-01-29T01:24:00Z")

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Dont make much sense. For hearing people, faces dont listen, ears do.

Would fit deaf people pretty well because they listen with their faces & talk with their hands.

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**Author:** ![Jackamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Jackamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackamus)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2000, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-it-to-the-hand/6634/5 "2000-01-29T03:47:00Z")

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Dunno where it started, but I first heard it in the movie BEAUTICIAN & THE BEAST. Fran Drescher said it several times.