itchy

an itchy palm

What one is said to have when they need or want a tip or bribe. A: "I can't believe that guy at the desk actually answered all of your questions!" B: "Ah, he just had an itchy palm—a little money made him more inclined to talk."
See also: itchy, palm

an itchy trigger finger

1. An inclination or readiness to shoot a gun (especially at someone) without needing much or any provocation or justification. I wouldn't stay too long around here—there are a lot of people with itchy trigger fingers in this part of town.
2. By extension, an inclination, readiness, or tendency to act or react carelessly, rashly, or without due consideration. John's itchy trigger finger is going to get him into trouble with his boss someday. When you're working in a restaurant, it's important not to have an itchy trigger finger when customers come to you with complaints.
See also: finger, itchy, trigger

get itchy feet

To feel the urge to stray from one's routine, often by traveling. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. Every so often, Claire gets itchy feet and sets off for a foreign destination.
See also: feet, get, itchy

get itchy fingers

To be or become eager to begin, undertake, or become involved in some work or task, especially one that involves one's hands. You're going to get itchy fingers once you see these nine awesome do-it-yourself projects that can do with things around the house! I finally took a two-week vacation, but as soon as I began to relax, I started getting itchy fingers to do something—anything—productive.
See also: finger, get, itchy

give (one) itchy feet

To cause one to feel the urge to stray from one's routine, often by traveling. The beautiful pictures in those travel brochures always give me itchy feet.
See also: feet, give, itchy

have itchy feet

To feel the urge to stray from one's routine, often by traveling. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. Every so often, Claire has itchy feet and sets off for a foreign destination.
See also: feet, have, itchy

have itchy fingers

To be eager to begin, undertake, or become involved in some work or task, especially one that involves one's hands. You're going to have itchy fingers once you see these nine awesome do-it-yourself projects that can do with things around the house! I finally took a two-week vacation, but as soon as I began to relax, I started having itchy fingers to do something—anything—productive.
See also: finger, have, itchy

itchy feet

The urge to stray from one's routine, often by traveling. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. Every so often, Claire has itchy feet and sets off for a foreign destination.
See also: feet, itchy
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*itchy feet

Fig. the need to leave; a feeling of a need to travel. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) Hearing the train whistle at night gives me itchy feet.
See also: feet, itchy

*itchy palm

 and *itching palm
Fig. [of a hand] in need of a tip. (As if placing money in the palm would stop the itching. *Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) All the waiters at that restaurant have itchy palms. The cabdriver was troubled by an itching palm. Since he refused to carry my bags, I gave him nothing. Whenever he sees expensive luggage, the hotel doorman gets an itching palm.
See also: itchy, palm
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

itchy palm

Also, itching palm. A desire for money, greed; also, wanting a bribe. For example, The porter has an itchy palm; he wants a big tip, or The mayor was known for his itchy palm. This expression alludes to placing money in the palm of the hand. [Late 1500s]
See also: itchy, palm
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

itchy feet

BRITISH
If you have itchy feet, you want to go somewhere new or start doing something new. I hated living in London, and I started getting itchy feet. Hearing about Sally's job had given me itchy feet and within a couple of months I left the company.
See also: feet, itchy

itchy fingers

mainly BRITISH
If you have itchy fingers, you are very keen to get involved in a particular activity. I went into town to watch people playing chess. After a few days of this I started getting itchy fingers.
See also: finger, itchy
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

get (or have) itchy feet

be restless; have a strong urge to travel or move from place to place. informal
See also: feet, get, itchy
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

get/have itchy ˈfeet

(informal) a desire to travel, move house, change your job, etc: He never stays in a job long. He gets itchy feet after two or three years.
See also: feet, get, have, itchy
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

an itchy palm

A strong desire for money, especially bribes.
See also: itchy, palm
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

itchy palm, to have an

Corruptible, greedy, asking for a bribe. This term, like so many, was originated by Shakespeare. In Julius Caesar (4.3) Brutus says, “Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm.” See also grease someone's palm.
See also: have, itchy
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • an itching palm
  • an itchy palm
  • itchy palm
  • tip (one) the wink
  • tip somebody the wink
  • tip someone the wink
  • pay (one) off
  • pay off
  • tip
  • on the tip of (one's) tongue
References in periodicals archive
"I take Itchy and Scratchy with me to work whenever I can.
TV presenter's just mad about his 'boys' Wildlife presenter Chris Packham comes to Birmingham this weekend to talk about animals. He tells Roz Laws why he is most at home with his adored dogs LIFESTYLE
She added: "We try and get the message across that any action you take has a life consequence behind it." The Simpsons' cartoon Itchy and Scratchy
Don't try this at home ... lessons in violence from The Simpsons
Relieving itchy bug bites is essential to avoid introducing infection through torn skin.
Skin care for babies, children and teens
In particular, the 0.6% spray was superior to placebo for runny nose, itchy nose, sneezing, and itchy and watery eyes.
Olopatadine: not just for allergic eyes?
Scabies occurs when microscopic mites burrow into the skin and cause an itchy allergic reaction that can resemble eczema.
Caring for aging skin: a geriatric dermatologist's expert advice on skin care for LTC residents. (Feature Article)
No more than twenty seconds passed between the onset of feeling itchy and my declaring, "I can't breathe." That was the last thing I remember.
Death and resurrection. (First Person)
Your vagina can be a little itchy sometimes, thanks to new hair growth, discharge buildup, or even a yeast infection.
GL's Top 10: Most personal body questions answeres. (GL Body Q and A)
The prize is this insulating and windproof softshell North Face jacket supplied by Itchy Feet, worth 90 [pound sterling].
Where in the world? (Competition)
These include itchy and runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, itchy skin, and even asthma.
Minute Creatures Raise Mighty Concerns - Dust Mites in the Home
Still, Bingo is itchy. "Itchy?" He slowly repeats the term as if it is somehow alien in the smooth, cold and uber-coded world of animation.
Chris Landreth
Not until his coat turned to gray flannel could "Itchy" stop scratching, sliding though thistle patches and, on really bad days, climbing trees.
Itchabod - the lamb allergic to wool
Newark, have teamed up to create the first scientifically calculated index of conditions that create dry, itchy winter skin.
New index measures winter's relative humidity
There seem to be a lot of people with itchy fingers these days--in the editorial rooms of The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Who needs proof?
Compare Beavis and Butt-head to The Itchy & Scratchy Show, which occasionally appears on The Simpsons.
Facts about fiction: in defense of TV violence
Skin that's itchy, red, dry and cracked may be eczema.
Rashes in babies and children