Wet behind the ears

[1075] All thumbs

🎲 Let the cat out of the bag
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Very clumsy or awkward, especially with one's hands.
  • Lacking dexterity; unable to handle objects skillfully or perform tasks requiring fine motor coordination.

Origin

  • The image is of trying to do something requiring finger dexterity if all five digits on each hand were thick, clumsy thumbs.
  • This implies extreme awkwardness and inability to manipulate things properly.
  • The phrase dates back to the mid-16th century.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Clumsy
  • Awkward (with hands)
  • Uncoordinated
  • Butterfingers (specifically about dropping things)
  • Ham-fisted / Ham-handed
  • Maladroit
  • Inept (at manual tasks)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Klutz / Klutzy
  • Butterfingers
  • Have two left hands (less common than 'two left feet' for dancing)
  • Spaz / Spazzy (can be offensive due to association with disability)
  • Clumsy-ass (vulgar)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • Clumsy fucker (self-description or insult)
  • Can't do shit right with my hands

Milder/Formal:

  • Awkward
  • Unhandy
  • Lacking dexterity
  • Manually inept
  • Not skilled with one's hands

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal. Common in everyday situations.
  • Usually used self-deprecatingly or as a gentle description of someone else's temporary awkwardness.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Very unlikely to be misunderstood. The imagery is effective and the context usually involves manual tasks.

Examples

  • Could you help me button this? I'm all thumbs this morning.
  • He tried to assemble the IKEA furniture but was all thumbs and kept dropping the screws.
  • I'm all thumbs when it comes to wrapping presents.

Dialogue

Person A: (Struggling with a small clasp) Argh, I can't get this necklace fastened!

Person B: Need a hand?

Person A: Please! I'm all thumbs with these tiny things.

Person B: No worries, let me try. There you go.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Attempted to learn crochet. Update: I am all thumbs. How do people do this?! 🧶 #craftfail #clumsy
  • Instagram caption (photo of poorly assembled item): Tried to build it myself... turns out I'm all thumbs. Calling a professional! 😂 #DIYfail #help
  • Facebook status: Feeling all thumbs today, dropped my phone twice already! Need more coffee.

Response Patterns

  • Offering help: Here, let me get that for you. / Sure, I can help.
  • Sympathy/Shared experience: Oh dear! / Don't worry, happens to me too. / I know the feeling.
  • Acceptance: No problem.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • The listener usually offers assistance or takes over the task.
  • Sometimes leads to light-hearted jokes about clumsiness.

Conversation Starter

  • No. It's usually an explanation or apology for current clumsiness or difficulty with a manual task.

Intonation

  • Stress is typically on ALL THUMBS. Sorry, I seem to be ALL THUMBS today.
  • Often said with mild frustration or self-deprecation.

Generation Differences

  • Understood and used by all generations. May sound slightly quaint but is still very common.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all English-speaking regions.
Wet behind the ears
🎲 Let the cat out of the bag