be empty-handed—
1. having received or gained nothing:
- Due to three successive droughts, most farmers are emptyhanded.
2. be unarmed:
- You will learn not only to use weapons, but also to defend against someone who has one while you are empty-handed.
have one’s hands full—have much work to do; be very busy:
- The plumber had his hands full and could not take another job for two weeks.