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There was a very good and kind-hearted king who helped poor people.

Now a peasant held up his hands and bowed to the king and the king "held the peasant's hands".

Do we say "The king took the peasant's hands" to say the king showed respect for the peasant in that situation?

People say that in some fairy tale stories.

I feel that just saying "The king held the peasant's hands" might not express the king's respect for the peasant.

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No, that is not a particular idiom. "Holding hands" is not used figuratively to mean "show respect".

Holding someone's hand can show affection (literally) or guidance (literally or figuratively):

I just saw Jimmy and Sofia holding hands at the party.

Hold my hand as we cross the road, and you'll be safe.

I'm filling out the risk assessment, and I would like you to hold my hand as I do it, to make sure I don't make any mistakes.

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  • But that idiom is "holding someone's hand", not "holding someone's hands". But I agree that held doesn't fit in the OP's question.
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Feb 24, 2022 at 17:30
  • @ColinFine James first addressed the OP's example with "No, that is not a particular idiom. 'Holding hands' is not used figuratively to mean 'show respect.'" Then went on to explain another similar phrase that is used.
    – Eli Harold
    Commented Feb 24, 2022 at 19:45
  • WHat about "The king took the peasant's hands"? does it mean the king showed respect for the peasant? I saw that sentence in stories
    – Tom
    Commented Feb 25, 2022 at 5:22
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    It doesn't mean that the king showed respect. It means the king grasped the hands of the peasant. What he did next might imply a respect or not. "The king took the peasant's hand and lifted him up to speak face to face." is very different to "The king took the peasant's hands, bound them in chains and dragged the peasant to the dungeon"
    – James K
    Commented Feb 25, 2022 at 5:55

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