clean hands

noun

1. freedom from guilt, wrongdoing, or dishonesty; innocence; guiltlessness:

   He came out of the bribery investigation triumphantly when it was proved that he had clean hands.

Word History and Origins

Origin of clean hands¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

In war, there are no clean hands.

From Los Angeles Times

Allen smeared election officials as lacking “clean hands,” maligning them for the crime of following the law as written.

From Slate

The trigger for the sudden crisis was the decision by a Spanish judge to entertain a complaint from Clean Hands, a group known for filing cases in court against politicians and other prominent Spaniards.

From New York Times

Given the track record of Clean Hands, which has presented a litany of unsuccessful lawsuits against politicians in the past, the public prosecutors' decision is not necessarily surprising.

From BBC

The allegations against Gómez were made by a group called Manos Limpias, or “Clean Hands.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

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