From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
hands
n 1: (with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the
right to house and care for and discipline a child; "my
fate is in your hands"; "too much power in the
president's hands"; "your guests are now in my custody";
"the mother was awarded custody of the children" [syn:
custody]
2: the force of workers available [syn: work force,
workforce, manpower, men]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
hands \hands\ n.
1. a person's power or discretionary action; as, my fate is
in your hands.
Syn: custody.
[WordNet 1.5]
2. The force of workers available; as, all hands on deck.
Syn: work force, manpower, men.
[WordNet 1.5]
A dictionary containing a natural history requires
too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to
be hoped for. --Locke.