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REFERENCE

sticky fingers

idiom
Meaning

An inclination to steal.


Examples
SIMPLE

Keep an eye on him, he has sticky fingers.

CONTEXTUAL

The shop owner keeps his expensive items behind glass because some customers have sticky fingers.

COMPLEX

The manager suspected the employee had sticky fingers after several small amounts of cash went missing from the register.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all fingers and thumbs

    Of a person, clumsy or awkward.

  2. 02

    burn one's fingers

    To harm oneself; to suffer consequences of one's actions.

  3. 03

    come to a sticky end

    To die unpleasantly due to one's actions.

  4. 04

    get one's fingers burnt

    To suffer relatively minor, adversive, and unexpected harm.

  5. 05

    green fingers

    A seemingly natural gardening ability.

  6. 06

    have one's fingers in many pies

    To be involved in many, or too many, different things.

  7. 07

    in the snap of one's fingers

    In a snap.

  8. 08

    keep one's fingers crossed

    To hope for the best, to show support.

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