also: てをこまぬく
expression, godan verb (-ku)
Literal physical action of crossing one's arms. This sense is less common than the idiomatic one.
彼は黙って手をこまねいて立っていた。
He stood silently with his arms folded.
expression, godan verb (-ku)
stand idly by; look on without intervening
Idiomatic: to do nothing while a situation develops, often with a nuance of criticism or regret. Implies passivity or inaction when action is expected.
困っている人を見て、手をこまねいているだけではいけない。
You can't just stand idly by when you see someone in trouble.
政府は問題を認識しながらも手をこまねいていた。
The government recognized the problem but did nothing about it.
expression, godan verb (-ku)
lie in wait; be ready and waiting
Colloquial, rare usage: to wait in readiness, often with a predatory or opportunistic nuance. Not the primary meaning.
彼はチャンスを狙って手をこまねいていた。
He was lying in wait for an opportunity.