clean hands, have

have clean hands

To be innocent; to be free of any wrongdoing. I swear, I have clean hands—I had nothing to do with that robbery. We kept you in the dark about the deal so you would always have clean hands in case things went wrong.See also: clean, hand, have

clean hands, have

Be innocent or guiltless, as in John's got clean hands; he had nothing to do with it. It is sometimes worded as one's hands are clean, meaning "one has done nothing wrong," as in Don't look at me-my hands are clean. This metaphor for freedom from wrongdoing dates back to at least 1600. See also: clean, have