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handholding

American  
[hand-hohl-ding] / ˈhændˌhoʊl dɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of holding hands, especially as a sign or token of affection.

  2. constant reassurance and help, especially as an indication of one's interest or confidence.

    We do a lot of handholding with our clients.

Etymology

Origin of handholding

First recorded in 1905–10; hand + holding

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.