From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsomebody’s hand (in marriage)somebody’s hand (in marriage)old-fashionedMARRY permission for a man to marry a particular woman He asked for her hand in marriage. → hand
Examples from the Corpus
somebody’s hand (in marriage)• He finally asked for her hand in marriage.• A fat person, down on his hands and knees, was doing something to the grass between the stones.• Alan saw that she herself stroked the back of the child's head rhythmically with her right hand.• But it does mean that weird opinions ought not to be rejected out of hand.• But then it seemed as if the ball went through or over his hands as he came in front of Washington.• It made our hands and fingers itch, but the tiny pieces of red flesh were delicious.• Stories were told about how they had actually done considerable damage to some visiting fans when situations had got out of hand.• The political opposition, on the other hand, is not convinced.• When you fall forward, fully conscious or not, you put out your hands to break your fall. 