rubbing of hands

[peachy51]

why is it when something good is happening we get all cheesy and rub our hands?

[Quizmonster]

Rubbing hands together is usually a sign of eager anticipation...ie we can hardly wait to "get our hands on" whatever the goodie is. Since we have not quite got hold of it yet, so that we can stroke and fondle it, as it were, we use stroking/rubbing our own hands as a displacement gesture.