hand

¹

[ hand ]

noun

1. the terminal, prehensile part of the upper limb in humans and other primates, consisting of the wrist, metacarpal area, fingers, and thumb.
2. the terminal part of the forelimb in any of the higher vertebrates.
3. a terminal prehensile part, as the chela of a crustacean, or, in falconry, the foot of a falcon.
4. something resembling a hand in shape or function, as various types of pointers:

   the hands of a clock.

5. Printing. index ( def 8 ).
6. a person employed in manual labor or for general duties; worker; laborer:

   a factory hand;

   a ranch hand.

7. a person who performs or is capable of performing a specific work, skill, or action:

   She's a real hand at geometry.

8. characteristic touch; skill; workmanship:

   It's rare to find a painting that shows a master's hand as clearly as this one.

9. a person, with reference to ability or skill:

   He was a poor hand at running a business.

10. a member of a ship's crew:

    The ship had an able skipper and eight good hands.

11. Often hands. possession or power; control, custody, or care:

    It's a great responsibility to have someone's fate in your hands.

12. a position, especially one of control, used for bargaining, negotiating, etc.:

    We must take action to strengthen our hand.

13. means; agency; instrumentality:

    The coroner ruled that the death was by his own hand.

14. active participation or cooperation; assistance; aid:

    Give me a hand with this ladder.

15. side; direction:

    There's no traffic on either hand of the road.

16. style of handwriting; penmanship:

    She wrote in a beautiful hand.

    Synonyms: longhand, calligraphy, script

17. a person's signature:

    to set one's hand to a document.

18. a round or outburst of applause for a performer:

    Let's all give a hand to the star of the show!

19. a promise or pledge, as of marriage:

    He asked for her hand in marriage.

20. a linear measure equal to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters), used especially in determining the height of horses.
21. Cards.
    1. the cards dealt to or held by each player at one time.
    2. the person holding the cards.
    3. a single part of a game, in which all the cards dealt at one time are played.
22. Roman Law. manus ( def 2 ).
23. hands, Manège. skill at manipulating the reins of a horse:

    To ride well, one must have good hands.

24. a bunch, cluster, or bundle of various leaves, fruit, etc., as a bundle of tobacco leaves tied together or a cluster of bananas.
25. Machinery. the deviation of a thread or tooth from the axial direction of a screw or gear, as seen from one end looking away toward the other.
26. Building Trades.
    1. the position of the hinges of a door, in terms of right and left, as seen from outside the building, room, closet, etc., to which the doorway leads.
    2. the position of the hinges of a casement sash, in terms of right and left, from inside the window.
27. Also called handle. the fabric properties that can be sensed by touching the material, as resilience, smoothness, or body:

    the smooth hand of satin.

28. Archaic. a person considered as a source, as of information or of supply.

verb (used with object)

1. to deliver or pass with or as if with the hand.
2. to help, assist, guide, etc., with the hand:

   He handed the elderly woman across the street.

3. Nautical.
   1. to take in or furl (a sail).
   2. to haul on or otherwise handle.

adjective

1. of, belonging to, using, or used by the hand.
2. made by hand.
3. carried in or worn on the hand.
4. operated by hand; manual:

   a hand brake.

verb phrase

1. to transmit; pass on to a successor, posterity, etc.:

   The silver service was handed on to the eldest daughter of the family.

2. 1. to deliver (the decision of a court):

      The jury handed down a verdict of guilty.

   2. to transmit from one to another, especially to bequeath to posterity:

      The ring had been handed down from her grandmother.

3. to submit; present for acceptance:

   She handed in her term paper after the deadline.

   He handed his resignation in yesterday.

4. 1. to deliver into the custody of another:

      Hand your wallet over now!

   2. to surrender control of:

      He handed over his business to his children.

5. to give or distribute; pass out:

   People were handing out leaflets on every corner.

6. Football. to hand the ball to a member of one's team in the course of a play.

Hand

²

[ hand ]

noun

1. Lear·ned [lur, -nid], 1872–1961, U.S. jurist.

hand

¹

/ hænd /

noun

1. 1. the prehensile part of the body at the end of the arm, consisting of a thumb, four fingers, and a palm
   2. the bones of this part manual
2. the corresponding or similar part in animals
3. something resembling this in shape or function
4. 1. the cards dealt to one or all players in one round of a card game
   2. a player holding such cards
   3. one round of a card game
5. agency or influence

   the hand of God

6. a part in something done

   he had a hand in the victory

7. assistance

   to give someone a hand with his work

8. a pointer on a dial, indicator, or gauge, esp on a clock

   the minute hand

9. acceptance or pledge of partnership, as in marriage

   he asked for her hand

   he gave me his hand on the merger

10. a position or direction indicated by its location to the side of an object or the observer

    on the right hand

    on every hand

11. a contrastive aspect, condition, etc (in the phrases on the one hand, on the other hand )
12. (preceded by an ordinal number) source or origin

    a story heard at third hand

13. a person, esp one who creates something

    a good hand at painting

14. a labourer or manual worker

    we've just taken on a new hand at the farm

15. a member of a ship's crew

    all hands on deck

16. printing another name for index
17. a person's handwriting

    the letter was in his own hand

18. a round of applause

    give him a hand

19. ability or skill

    a hand for woodwork

20. a manner or characteristic way of doing something

    the hand of a master

21. a unit of length measurement equalling four inches, used for measuring the height of horses, usually from the front hoof to the withers
22. a cluster or bundle, esp of bananas
23. a shoulder of pork
24. one of the two possible mirror-image forms of an asymmetric object, such as the direction of the helix in a screw thread
25. a free hand
    freedom to do as desired
26. a hand's turn
    usually used with a negative a small amount of work

    he hasn't done a hand's turn

27. a heavy hand
    tyranny, persecution, or oppression

    he ruled with a heavy hand

28. a high hand
    an oppressive or dictatorial manner
29. at hand or near at hand
    very near or close, esp in time
30. at someone's hand or at someone's hands
    from

    the acts of kindness received at their hands

31. by hand
    1. by manual rather than mechanical means
    2. by messenger or personally

       the letter was delivered by hand

32. come to hand
    to become available; be received
33. force someone's hand
    to force someone to act
34. from hand to hand
    from one person to another
35. from hand to mouth
    1. in poverty

       living from hand to mouth

    2. without preparation or planning
36. hand and foot
    in all ways possible; completely

    they waited on him hand and foot

37. hand in glove
    in an intimate relationship or close association
38. hand in hand
    1. together; jointly
    2. clasping each other's hands
39. hand over fist
    steadily and quickly; with rapid progress

    he makes money hand over fist

40. hold one's hand
    to stop or postpone a planned action or punishment
41. hold someone's hand
    to support, help, or guide someone, esp by giving sympathy or moral support
42. in hand
    1. in possession
    2. under control
    3. receiving attention or being acted on
    4. available for use; in reserve
    5. with deferred payment

       he works a week in hand

43. keep one's hand in
    to continue or practise
44. lend a hand
    to help
45. on hand
    close by; present

    I'll be on hand to help you

46. out of hand
    1. beyond control
    2. without reservation or deeper examination

       he condemned him out of hand

47. set one's hand to
    1. to sign (a document)
    2. to start (a task or undertaking)
48. show one's hand
    to reveal one's stand, opinion, or plans
49. take in hand
    to discipline; control
50. throw one's hand in
    See throw in
51. to hand
    accessible
52. try one's hand
    to attempt to do something
53. modifier
    1. of or involving the hand

       a hand grenade

    2. made to be carried in or worn on the hand

       hand luggage

    3. operated by hand

       a hand drill

54. in combination made by hand rather than by a machine

    hand-sewn

verb

1. to transmit or offer by the hand or hands
2. to help or lead with the hand
3. nautical to furl (a sail)
4. hand it to someone
   to give credit to someone

HAND

²

abbreviation for

1. have a nice day

Derived Forms

• ˈhandˌlike, adjective
• ˈhandless, adjective

Other Words From

• hand·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hand¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German Hand, Old Norse hǫnd, Gothic handus

Word History and Origins

Origin of hand¹

Old English hand; related to Old Norse hönd, Gothic handus, Old High German hant

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hands off! don't touch, strike, or interfere! keep away from!:

   Hands off my laptop!

2. hands up! hold your hands above your head! give up!
3. at hand,
   1. within reach; nearby; close by.
   2. near in time; soon.
   3. ready for use:

      We keep a supply of canned goods at hand.

4. at the hand / hands of, by the action of; through the agency of:

   They suffered at the hands of their stepfather.

5. by hand, by using the hands, as opposed to machines; manually:

   lace made by hand.

6. change hands, to pass from one owner to another; change possession:

   The property has changed hands several times in recent years.

7. come to hand,
   1. to come within one's reach or notice:

      He was moved to tears when his father's old journal came to hand.

   2. to be received; arrive:

      The spring stock came to hand last week.

8. eat out of one's hand, to be totally submissive to another; be very attentive or servile:

   That spoiled brat has her parents eating out of her hand.

9. force one's hand, to prompt a person to take immediate action or to reveal their intentions:

   The criticism forced the governor's hand so that he had to declare his support of the tax bill.

10. from hand to hand, from one person to another; through successive ownership or possession:

    The legendary jewel went from hand to hand.

11. from hand to mouth, improvidently; precariously; with nothing in reserve:

    They looked forward to a time when they would no longer have to live from hand to mouth.

12. give one's hand on / upon, to give one's word; seal a bargain by or as if by shaking hands:

    He said the goods would be delivered within a month and gave them his hand on it.

13. hand and foot,
    1. so as to hinder movement:

       They tied him hand and foot.

    2. slavishly and continually:

       Cinderella had to wait on her stepsisters hand and foot.

14. hand and glove, very intimately associated: Also hand in glove.

    Several high-ranking diplomats were found to be hand and glove with enemy agents.

15. hand in hand,
    1. with one's hand enclasped in that of another person.
    2. closely associated; concurrently; conjointly:

       Doctors and nurses work hand in hand to save lives.

16. hand in one's checks, Chiefly British. cash ¹( def 7 ).
17. hand it to, Informal. to give just credit to; pay respect to:

    You have to hand it to her for getting the work out.

18. hand over fist, speedily; increasingly:

    He owns a chain of restaurants and makes money hand over fist.

19. hand to hand, in direct combat; at close quarters:

    The troops fought hand to hand.

20. hands down,
    1. effortlessly; easily:

       He won the championship hands down.

    2. indisputably; incontestably:

       It was hands down the best race I've ever seen.

21. have a hand in, to have a share in; participate in:

    It is impossible that she could have had a hand in this notorious crime.

22. have one's hands full, to have a large or excessive amount of work to handle; be constantly busy:

    The personnel department has its hands full trying to process the growing number of applications.

23. hold hands, to join hands with another person as a token of affection:

    They have been seen holding hands in public.

24. in hand,
    1. under control:

       He kept the situation well in hand.

    2. in one's possession:

       cash in hand.

    3. in the process of consideration or settlement:

       regarding the matter in hand.

25. join hands, to unite in a common cause; combine:

    The democracies must join hands in order to survive.

26. keep one's hand in, to continue to practice: I just play enough golf to keep my hand in.

    He turned the business over to his sons, but he keeps his hand in it.

    I just play enough golf to keep my hand in.

27. lay one's hands on,
    1. to obtain; acquire:

       I wish I could lay my hands on a good used piano.

    2. to seize, especially in order to punish:

       He wanted to lay his hands on the person who had backed into his car.

    3. to impose the hands in a ceremonial fashion, as in ordination:

       The bishop laid hands on the candidates.

28. lend / give a hand, to lend assistance; help out:

    Lend a hand and we'll finish the job in no time.

29. lift a hand, to exert any effort: Also lift a finger.

    She wouldn't lift a hand to help anyone.

30. off one's hands,
    1. out of one's charge or care:

       Now, with their children grown and off their hands, they will be free to travel.

    2. successfully completed; finished:

       The lawyer planned a vacation as soon as the case was off his hands.

31. on all hands, Also on every hand.
    1. by everyone; universally:

       It was decided on all hands to take an excursion.

    2. on every side; all around:

       piercing glances on all hands.

32. on hand,
    1. in one's possession; at one's disposal:

       cash on hand.

    2. about to occur; imminent:

       A change of government may be on hand.

    3. present ¹( def 4 ):

       There were not enough members on hand to constitute a quorum.

33. on the other hand, from another side or aspect; conversely:

    It was an unfortunate experience, but, on the other hand, one can learn from one's mistakes.

34. on / upon one's hands, under one's care or management; as one's responsibility:

    He was left with a large surplus on his hands.

35. out of hand,
    1. beyond control:

       to let one's temper get out of hand.

    2. without delay; at once:

       The crisis obliged him to act out of hand.

    3. no longer in process; finished:

       The case has been out of hand for some time.

    4. without consideration or deliberation:

       to reject a proposal out of hand.

36. shake hands, to clasp another's hand in greeting, congratulation, or agreement:

    They shook hands on the proposed partnership.

37. show one's hand, to disclose or display one's true intentions or motives:

    The impending revolution forced him to show his hand.

38. sit on one's hands,
    1. to be unenthusiastic or unappreciative; fail to applaud:

       It was a lively show, but the audience sat on its hands.

    2. to take no action; be passive or hesitant:

       While he was being beaten, the others sat on their hands.

39. take a hand in, to take part in; participate in:

    If the strike continues, the government will have to take a hand in the negotiations.

40. take in hand,
    1. to undertake responsibility for; assume charge:

       When both parents died, an uncle took the youngster in hand.

    2. to deal with; treat of:

       We'll take the matter in hand at the next meeting.

41. throw up one's hands, to admit one's inadequacy, exasperation, or failure; despair:

    When the general received reports of an enemy build-up, he threw up his hands.

42. tie one's hands, to render one powerless to act; thwart: Also have one's hands tied.

    The provisions of the will tied his hands.

43. tip one's hand, to reveal one's plans or intentions before the propitious time.
44. to hand,
    1. within reach; accessible or nearby.
    2. into one's possession:

       A search of the attic brought some valuable antiques to hand.

45. try one's hand (at), to test one's skill or aptitude for:

    After becoming a successful painter, he decided to try his hand at sculpture.

46. turn / put one's hand to, to set to work at; busy oneself with:

    He turned his hand successfully to gardening.

47. wash one's hands of, to disclaim any further responsibility for; renounce interest in or support of:

    I washed my hands of the entire affair.

48. with a heavy hand,
    1. with severity; oppressively:

       The law will punish offenders with a heavy hand.

    2. in a clumsy manner; awkwardly; gracelessly:

       The play was directed with a heavy hand.

49. with a high hand, in an arrogant or dictatorial manner; arbitrarily:

    He ran the organization with a high hand.

50. all hands on deck. all hands on deck. Sometimes all hands.
51. at first hand. firsthand ( def 1 ).
52. at second hand. second hand ( def 3 ).

More idioms and phrases containing hand

• at first hand
• at hand
• at second hand
• at the hand of
• back of one's hand
• bare hands
• bird in the hand
• bite the hand that feeds you
• bound hand and foot
• by hand
• catch red-handed
• change hands
• clean hands
• cold hands, warm heart
• deal in (one a hand)
• dirty one's hands
• eat out of someone's hand
• feed (hand) someone a line
• force someone's hand
• free hand
• from hand to hand
• give a hand
• glad hand
• grease someone's palm (hand)
• hang heavy on one's hands
• hat in hand
• have a hand in
• have one's hands full
• heavy hand
• helping hand
• in good hands
• in hand
• in one's hands
• in the hands of
• iron hand
• keep one's hand in
• know like a book (the back of one's hand)
• lay hands on
• left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing
• left-handed compliment
• lend a hand
• many hands make light work
• off one's hands
• on a platter, hand
• on hand
• on one's hands
• on the one hand
• on the other hand
• out of control (hand)
• out of hand
• play into the hands of
• putty in someone's hands
• raise a hand against
• right-hand man
• rub one's hands
• shake hands
• show of hands
• show one's hand
• sit on one's hands
• sleight of hand
• take in hand
• take into one's hands
• take one's life (in one's hands)
• take the law into one's hands
• throw in one's hand
• throw up one's hands
• tie one's hands
• time on one's hands
• tip one's hand
• to hand
• try one's hand
• turn one's hand to
• upper hand
• wait on hand and foot
• wash one's hands of
• with one arm (hand) tied

Example Sentences

The commission must approve exception appointments at the most senior grade, but below this level departments have a free hand to recruit.

From BBC

“Recognizing the hot hand, which is a real thing, but recognizing the hot hand and then executing just shows a level of selflessness,” Redick said.

From Los Angeles Times

He was handed over to the ICC in 2018 by the Malian authorities - five years after French troops helped liberate Timbuktu from the jihadists.

From BBC

Her former husband, an ex-police officer, and her lawyer, were handed prison terms of one year and four months, and two years respectively, for hiding evidence to help her evade prosecution.

From BBC

On the other hand, if researchers shut this circuit off, breathing rates went up, and the mice became more anxious.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• ability
• control
• part
• skill
• support