the glad hand

the glad hand

The act of addressing one in a friendly manner, often when it is feigned or false. I don't think she actually likes me, so she must have given me the glad hand when she seemed so happy to see me.
See also: glad, hand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*glad hand

Fig. an overly friendly welcome; a symbol of insincere attention. (*Typically: get ~; give someone ∼.) Whenever I go into that store, I get the glad hand. I hate to go to a party and get the glad hand.
See also: glad, hand
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

glad hand

A warm and hearty but often insincere welcome or greeting, as in Politicians are apt to give the glad hand to one and all. [Slang; late 1800s]
See also: glad, hand
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

glad

mod. alcohol intoxicated. After a few beers she was a mite glad.

glad-hand

tv. to greet someone effusively. (The hand is the hand that is offered to quickly to each person who is greeted.) The senator was glad-handing everyone in sight.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • appear to
  • a change of heart
  • a mystery to (one)
  • a yellow streak
  • be in high spirits
  • be in high/low spirits
  • a shoulder to cry on
  • be in low spirits
  • a turn of phrase
  • able to do
References in classic literature
If you try to break in under your right name you'll get the glad hand and be asked to stay here and there and play a good deal of golf and dance quite a lot, but you won't get a job.
Uneasy Money
An' he is here, arisin' to his feet to give the glad hand to his old pal.
The Valley of the Moon
But most important have been the personal touches--like giving his colleagues money and campaign help, a skillful combination of the glad hand and the greenback.
The man who would be speaker
If that's not the problem, the glad hands for the trailer may be leaking from dry rot.
Tips keep trailer on the trail