keep hands off

keep (one's) hands off (something or someone)

1. To refrain from touching or handling (something or someone). (Usually said imperatively.) You kids keep your hands off those cookies, they're for after dinner! I have every right to be on this property, so keep your hands off me! That television is brand new, so keep your hands off!
2. To refrain from becoming involved with or attempting to take or control (something or someone). (Usually said imperatively.) That rotten bank had better keep its hands off my land! Listen, buddy, keep your hands off my sister, you hear?
See also: hand, keep, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

keep one's hands off (something)

to refrain from touching or handling something. I'm going to put these cookies here. You keep your hands off them. Get your hands off my book, and keep them off.
See also: hand, keep, off
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • keep (one's) hands off (something or someone)
  • take (one's) hands off (something or someone)
  • take hands off
  • Hands off!
  • keep (one's) paws off (something or someone)
  • get (one's) hands off (of) (something or someone)
  • off of
  • off of (someone or something)
  • try (something) out on (one)
  • try out on
References in classic literature
They sailed their vessels right into the lagoon and proceeded to preach the white man's gospel that only white men shall kill white men and that the lesser breeds must keep hands off. The schooners sailed up and down the lagoon, harrying and destroying.
Miley Cyrus and Kaitlynn Carter 'couldn't keep hands off each other' in LA club
In cases where political remedies are available, Magnuson indicated, the political-question doctrine directs courts to keep hands off. I dont think that you can enjoin the Senate, Magnuson said.
KEEP HANDS OFF Touching and twirling hair causes breakage, frizz and extra oil production.
The new automated parallel parking system for the new i3 allows the driver to keep hands off the wheel and feet off the pedals while the car parks itself.
"Unless this epidemic of crime is stopped, until we act together to keep hands off our church roofs, the place of churches in our society will never be the same again."
The bold demonstration of true sentiments of friendship and brotherhood between the people of Pakistan and China, even China telling US 'keep hands off Pakistan', specially at a time when wrinkles have appeared in our relationship with the US after its unilateral operation in Abbotabad, was enough to give us a sigh of relief that we have a friend indeed who is always ready to help us.
Abboud adamantly refused that Casino du Liban issue be politicized urging politicians to keep hands off the Casino Head of the Lebanese Touristic Firms' Syndicate Jean Beiruti called for a nation-wide conference to help secure 20% revenue out of the total GNP and advocated a major Arab role with this regard.
Whatever the agreement that he would keep hands off, Mr.
Still--notwithstanding California's recent follies-should the nation refuse help, keep hands off? California accounts for 12 percent of our national population.
The first group wants Barack Obama to keep hands off. It's a hopeless quagmire, they say; presidents who've messed with the process have come up empty-handed and made America look ineffectual.
Could it be that I'm being too harsh and that even these free-marketers have been sobered by the results of the push in the last seven years to keep hands off the markets and let them do what they "do best?" But if the multi-faceted mess that we're in now (and it certainly doesn't take an MBA to recognize recession, subprime crisis, choking credit markets, swooning dollar, rising inflation, stagnant job creation) is the result of keeping hands off as much as possible, then my only response is the venerable 'Oy.'
The good news is they are vowing to keep hands off (which is much easier to do now than it will be down the road).
Should they keep hands off? Absolutely not, says Jan Resseger of the United Church of Christ (UCC).
After discussing the revised scenario with game officials, who agreed to go along, Frantz told his quarterback to give Jake the ball while DeWitt instructed his defense to keep hands off Jake.