[General] take one's hand vs. take someone by the hand

[inase]

Is there any difference in nuances or situations between the following two sentences?
My guess is that sentence 2 implies there is an intended action he is asking me to take.

1. He took my hand.
2. He took me by the hand.

Inase

 

[emsr2d2]

I lost my left hand in a bizarre pasta machine accident ten years ago. I've always kept the hand in a jar by my bed. Last night, I got burgled. Some vile oik broke into my house in the middle of the night, ransacked my jewellery box, purloined the family silver and nicked my camera, but do you know what the worst thing was? He took my hand! Unbelievable!

(The above is not a true story but I wanted to show you how context can make a big difference to the meaning of a short phrase.)

 

[emsr2d2]

The local police were baffled and palmed the case off to a private detective who fingered the thief in 24 hours! ;-)

 

[inase]

To be more specific, the following sentences may reveal the nuances I meant. Are the two expressions interchangeable in these contexts?

1. The doctor took my hand and took my pulse. (It is just the doctor's action.)

2. The doctor took me by the hand and showed me to the operation room. (The doctor prompted my action.)

Inase

 

[Raymott]

Digital theft is certainly becoming a problem!

 

[GoesStation]

Operating room in American English.

 

[jutfrank]

Digital theft is certainly becoming a problem!

I have to hand it you - that's a good one!

 

[inase]

By the way, we'd say 'operating theatre' rather than 'operation room'.
'

It is interesting to know that British people say "operating theatre" and that "theatre" itself means "operating room." Is it because the patient's family and trainee doctors watch the operation in a theatrical setting of an operating room?

Theatre used as an uncountable noun means both "plays as entertainment" and "operating room" as used in such a sentence as "he is still in theatre." Given this information, I wondered if the following sentence has double meaning with no specific context?

The doctor likes theatre.

1. The doctor likes (watching) plays.
2. The doctor likes (working in) operating rooms.

Inase

 

[Raymott]

That would be a bit of a stretch! It would normally mean 1. In the right context it could mean 2.

Note also:

• Theater (warfare), a military term for an area where an armed conflict takes place.

So, a theatre can be an arena, or a space where some action takes place.