thumbs away from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thumbs away from" is not a standard expression in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to indicate a position or action involving thumbs, but clarity may be lacking without additional context. Example: "When holding the device, make sure your thumbs are away from the screen to avoid accidental touches."

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Pry your eyes and thumbs away from your electronic devices, she admonishes.

Forbes

This might better simulate the grasping and reaching motions we typically make when interacting with objects in the world, compared to the responses participants made in our experiments in which they pushed their thumbs away from them to activate touchscreen buttons.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Gently pull the thumbs away from each other in opposite directions.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This includes the PA radiograph showing deviation of the thumb away from the injured side due to the pull of the contralateral collateral ligament (see Figs. 2, 3).

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

There's something different about having it all streamlined into one feed, knowing that you're just one flick of the thumb away from the next thing you need to see.

Huffington Post

Move your thumb away from you again, keeping both eyes on it at all times.

WikiHow

Extend the thumb away from the hand as far as comfortable.

WikiHow

Release the ball and move your thumb away from you, almost pushing it.

WikiHow

Be sure to keep your thumb away from the victim's body, to prevent injury to the victim.

WikiHow

Make sure the person actually doing the pulling does it very slowly and keeps their hand (mainly their thumb) away from the back of the gun (where the slide will clip them).

WikiHow

It requires putting our thumbs away, detaching our gazes from the screens, and engaging in a conversation physically and emotionally -- not just mentally.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing someone to avoid touching a screen, clarify the purpose of keeping your "thumbs away from" it, such as to prevent accidental actions.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by specifying what the "thumbs" should be away from. Be explicit to avoid confusion about direction or reference point.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thumbs away from" primarily functions as a directive or instruction. It indicates a need to separate or distance one's thumbs from a specific object or area. As Ludwig examples show, this is often in the context of avoiding contact or interference.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Wiki

30%

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thumbs away from" is a directive phrase used to instruct someone to keep their thumbs separated from something. It's commonly found in instructional contexts and informal communication. Ludwig AI indicates that while grammatically acceptable, it is not considered a standard expression. The phrase is used to prevent accidental actions, protect sensitive areas, or ensure proper operation of devices. Related alternatives include "fingers away from" and "keep thumbs clear of". For best practices, specify what the thumbs should be away from to prevent ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

move your thumbs away

Highlights the action of displacing the thumbs.

thumbs separated from

Highlights the act of creating separation.

fingers away from

Focuses on the fingers instead of the thumbs to indicate a different area of separation.

keep thumbs clear of

Emphasizes avoiding contact or interference with something using the thumbs.

thumbs clear of

Highlights a need to avoid something.

thumbs distanced from

Indicates a separation or space created by moving the thumbs.

thumbs detached from

Suggests a complete lack of contact.

thumbs at a distance from

Emphasizes the spatial separation between the thumbs and another object.

position thumbs away from

Focuses on the specific placement of the thumbs in relation to something.

thumbs disengaged from

Implies a previous engagement that has now been broken.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "thumbs away from" to sound more formal?

In a formal context, you could use phrases like "ensure the thumbs are clear of", "maintain a distance between the thumbs and", or "position the thumbs away from".

What does it mean to keep your "thumbs away from" something?

Keeping your "thumbs away from" something generally means to avoid touching or interfering with it. For example, keeping your "fingers away from" a hot surface.

Is it grammatically correct to say "thumbs away from"?

While it's not a complete sentence, "thumbs away from" is commonly used as an instruction or a shorthand direction. It's grammatically acceptable in informal contexts.

When should I use "thumbs away from" instead of a more descriptive phrase?

Use "thumbs away from" when you need a concise, direct instruction. In other situations a more descriptive phrase, like "move your thumbs away from the screen", might provide better clarity.