hand tight

or hand-tight

adjective

(of a setscrew, nut, etc.) as tight as it can be made by hand, without the aid of a tool.

First recorded in 1785–95

The ground seemed to spin round, and she closed her hand tight on a bush that was standing beside her.

It might be, if he held his own hand tight enough, that there would not be money enough even to pay for her passage out.

She stooped down, and put her hand tight on her own heart, as if to still its beating, and bent her ear to the pale lips.

Blanche clasped her papa's hand tight, and bounded five or six times.

"Good-bye, An' Jerusha," he said, holding her hand tight in both his own.

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