shake hands with the unemployed
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
An older man made this remark when he left the bar to urinate: "Well, I'll go back and shake hands with the unemployed." Since he was heading for the men's room I didn't get the significance of this statement for a minute or so; it was, of course, a reference to sexual inactivity.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “shake hands with the unemployed” mean?
To urinate.
Is “shake hands with the unemployed” formal or informal?
shake hands with the unemployed is generally slang.