at the hands of

phrase

variants or less commonly at the hand of
: by or through the action of
suffering at the hands of a cruel dictator

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of at the hands of was in 1581

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Cite this Entry

“At the hands of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20hands%20of. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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