lay a finger on

Meaning

1. Oxford67% of films

   to touch sb with the intention of hurting them physically

   or even just lays a finger on you, what are you gonna do?

   If I learn you ever once laid a finger on my mother's body, living or dead, I swear to God,

In the movies · 3

• or even just lays a finger on you, what are you gonna do?What's Eating Gilbert Grape1993
• If I learn you ever once laid a finger on my mother's body, living or dead, I swear to God,The Grand Budapest Hotel2014
• And I swear to you, I never laid a finger on her.Amadeus1984
• If you so much as lay a finger on them, I'll kill you.Saw2004
• If you lay one finger on her...Spider-Man 22004
• Is it? You notice they're not laying a finger on her land.Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte1964
• You so much as lay one finger on anyone inside that hall, and so help me God, I'll break your bloody arms and legs for you.Pride2014
• If you can't lay your dirty fingers on a decent idea, and twist it and squeeze it and stuff it into your pocket you slap it down like dogs, if you can't eat it, you bury it.Meet John Doe1941

Learn it in full scenes

• Amadeus1984
  • Salieri Begins His Confession
  • Salieri Recalls His Answered Vow
  • Mozart's Backwards Proposal

From the same entry

• the finger of suspicion
• get, pull, your finger out
• give the finger
• have a finger in every pie
• have, your fingers in the till
• have your finger on the pulse
• not put your finger on
• put two fingers up at
• work your fingers to the bone
• burn your fingers
• be able to count on one hand
• cross your fingers

More idioms

• lose your cool
• not far off
• play by the rules
• pull the wool over eyes
• put the record straight
• roll up your sleeves
• sooner rather than later
• take a shine to
• you could have fooled me
• on air
• one or two
• you wait