Definition of "handwringing" []

• Clasping and squeezing of the hands, often in distress. (noun)
• An excessive expression of distress: handwringing by some experts over the state of the economy. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "I am deeply disturbed more handwringing is not being done and is so very absent from so many conferences and ELT settings of which I am part!"
• "So a bit of handwringing is a good thing in my opinion."
• "The point, though, after all of the handwringing, is that we’re not willing to stand up for women being systematically opporessed because (wait for it) we need Saudi oil."