① lay a hand on表示“動手打人”,只用于否定句和條件句中。
I bet he daren't lay a hand on her. 我打賭,他不敢打她。
If you lay a hand on his child,he will summon you for assault. 你要是碰一碰他的孩子,他會告你打人。
② lay one's hand on表示“得到,找到”,意同put one's hand on。
During those years I read everything I could lay my hands on. 那些年里,我能找到什么書就讀什么書。
I know I have the stamp somewhere,but I cannot lay my hands on it at the moment. 我知道我有那枚郵票,可此刻卻找不到了。
③ lay hands on表示“捉住,逮住,對……動武”。
If I lay hands on that guy,I shall give him a good beating. 要是我抓住那個家伙,我要把他揍一頓。
How dare you lay hands on me?你竟敢對我動武?