Imagine a political candidate weaving through a crowd at the local burger joint, flashing a megawatt smile, offering his hand to every voter in sight, and giving them his firmest grip in an overly long handshake. He looks them right in the eye, and smiles warmly, like greeting a long-lost friend. It looks like a genuine connection, but in the this performance has a specific, often skeptical name: to glad-hand or to “give someone the glad hand.” This may sound like a warm gesture of friendship, but “glad-handing” often masks a concerted effort to win favor rather than build a real relationship. The glad hand is all about a kind of overwhelming enthusiasm that often makes us ask, “What is this person after? What do they want from me?” Read on to find out the full meaning of this English idiom, notes on how it is used, sentence examples, and more.
Meaning of Idiom ‘Glad Hand’
To glad-hand someone or ‘give them a glad hand’ is to greet them in an extremely warm and friendly manner, quite often insincerely or superficially in order to gain favor or advantage. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. 2Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 3Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.
Often used in regard to politics, the idiom doesn’t always refer to a literal handshake but can refer to any enthusiastic and friendly greeting, especially when it is not sincere. Although the expression is usually negative, it can be neutral or positive, as when referring to a greeting between two old friends.
The idiom often refers to politicians who enthusiastically shake hands with everyone in a crowd while smiling broadly. 4Pare, May. Body Idioms and More: For Learners of English. United States?: Mayuree Pare, 2005. Glad hand has, on occasion, been used as a noun to refer to a person. Someone who goes around shaking hands and speaking to everyone they meet might be referred to as a glad hand. Today, “shaking hands, kissing babies, and taking selfies” might be used figuratively to refer ot the same type of behavior from politicians.
Also used:
Give someone a glad hand
Give someone the glad hand
Sometimes hyphenated to glad-hand.
Sentence Examples
“The CEO gave the investigators the glad hand while refusing to cooperate with their inquiries.”
“Candidates often spend hours glad-handing the crowds in small towns. It is hard to believe this behavior fools anyone.”
“Winning an election today takes more than glad-handing and kissing babies.”
“Don’t think he’s a nice guy to work for because he glad hands you and gives you the old back slap.”
“Benedict likes to know what’s going on. Be in control. There’s rarely an incident he doesn’t know about or handle personally. Spends a few minutes glad-handing the high rollers. He speaks Spanish, German, and ltalian and is getting good at Japanese.” — Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
“Governments are really great at getting together and holding meetings and conferences and glad-handing each other, but they never ever seem to accomplish anything.” — The Cove (2009)
“People were asking after you at the pancake breakfast.” “Just out tending to the police side of the job. But nice to know you got the glad-handing covered.” “I was just representin’. Can’t serve the community if we don’t talk to the community, sheriff.” — Longmire: Pilot (2012)
“Now, here at the plant, there’s no position more important than our accounts man, who’s responsible for glad-handing our customers and suppliers.” — The Simpsons: The Man in the Blue Flannel Pants (2011)
Similar Idioms
Butter someone up: to flatter someone because you want something from them. Often said of an employee regarding their employer, especially when the employee is seeking a promotion.
Kiss up/Suck up: curry favor or try to win approval by acting obsequiously toward an important person, especially someone who could advance one’s career or standing.
Brown nose (brown noser, n.): to obsequiously and shamelessly try to gain someone’s favor by being sycophantic and affecting a subservient attitude, being overly agreeable, flattering, etc.
The similar-sounding idiom, give the glad eye, has a different meaning: to look at someone in a way that shows you have a sexual interest in them.
Origin
This idiom has been used since the late 1800s. The fairly transparent allusion here is to sticking out one’s hand and pretending to be glad to meet or greet someone. To “extend the glad hand” was not always a negative expression, however. It was originally used regarding displays of sincere warmth. It is rarely used this way today, however, since the negative and insincere connotation is so well known.