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[han-did] /ˈhæn dɪd/

adjective
1.
having or involving a or (usually used in combination):
two-handed backhand; a four-handed piano work.
2.
using a particular (usually used in combination):
right-handed.
3.
having, requiring, or with the number of people, workers, or players indicated (usually used in combination):
a three-handed game of poker.
4.
manned; staffed (usually used in combination).
[hand] /hænd/
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 corresponding 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.
(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:
a real hand at geometry.
8.
skill; workmanship; characteristic touch:
a painting that shows a master’s hand.
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:
All hands on deck!
11.
Often, hands. possession or power; control, custody, or care:
to have someone’s fate in one’s hands.
12.
a position, especially one of control, used for bargaining, negotiating, etc.:
an action to strengthen one’s hand.
13.
means, agency; instrumentality:
death by his own hand.
14.
assistance; aid; active participation or cooperation:
Give me a hand with this ladder.
15.
side; direction:
no traffic on either hand of the road.
16.
style of handwriting; penmanship:
She wrote in a beautiful hand.
17.
a person’s signature:
to set one’s hand to a document.
18.
a round or outburst of applause for a performer:
to get a hand.
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.

22.
Roman Law. (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.

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)
29.
to deliver or pass with or as if with the hand.
30.
to help, assist, guide, etc., with the hand:
He handed the elderly woman across the street.
31.
Nautical.

adjective
32.
of, belonging to, using, or used by the hand.
33.
made by hand.
34.
carried in or worn on the hand.
35.
operated by hand; manual.
Verb phrases
36.
hand down,

37.
hand in, to submit; present for acceptance: She handed in her term paper after the deadline.
He handed his resignation in yesterday.
38.
hand off, Football. to hand the ball to a member of one’s team in the course of a play.
39.
hand on, to transmit; pass on to a successor, posterity, etc.:
The silver service was handed on to the eldest daughter of the family.
40.
hand out, to give or distribute; pass out:
People were handing out leaflets on every corner.
41.
hand over,

Idioms
42.
at first hand. (def 1).
43.
at hand,

44.
at second hand. (def 3).
45.
at the hand / hands of, by the action of; through the agency of:
They suffered at the hands of their stepfather.
46.
by hand, by using the hands, as opposed to machines; manually:
lace made by hand.
47.
change hands, to pass from one owner to another; change possession:
The property has changed hands several times in recent years.
48.
come to hand,

49.
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.
50.
force one’s hand, to prompt a person to take immediate action or to reveal his or her intentions:
The criticism forced the governor’s hand so that he had to declare his support of the tax bill.
51.
from hand to hand, from one person to another; through successive ownership or possession:
The legendary jewel went from hand to hand.
52.
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.
53.
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.
54.
hand and foot,

55.
hand and glove, very intimately associated:
Several high-ranking diplomats were found to be hand and glove with enemy agents.
Also, hand in glove.
56.
hand in hand,

57.
hand in one’s checks, Chiefly British. 1 (def 7).
58.
hand it to, Informal. to give just credit to; pay respect to:
You have to hand it to her for getting the work out.
59.
hand over fist, speedily; increasingly:
He owns a chain of restaurants and makes money hand over fist.
60.
hands down,

61.
hands off!, don’t touch, strike, or interfere! keep away from!:
Hands off my stereo!
62.
hands up!, hold your hands above your head! give up!
63.
hand to hand, in direct combat; at close quarters:
The troops fought hand to hand.
64.
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.
65.
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.
66.
hold hands, to join hands with another person as a token of affection:
They have been seen holding hands in public.
67.
in hand,

68.
join hands, to unite in a common cause; combine:
The democracies must join hands in order to survive.
69.
keep one’s hand in, to continue to practice:
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.
70.
lay one’s hands on,

71.
lend / give a hand, to lend assistance; help out:
Lend a hand and we’ll finish the job in no time.
72.
lift a hand, to exert any effort:
She wouldn’t lift a hand to help anyone.
Also, lift a finger.
73.
off one’s hands,

74.
on all hands,

Also, on every hand.
75.
on hand,

76.
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.
77.
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.
78.
out of hand,

79.
shake hands, to clasp another’s hand in greeting, congratulation, or agreement:
They shook hands on the proposed partnership.
80.
show one’s hand, to disclose or display one’s true intentions or motives:
The impending revolution forced him to show his hand.
81.
sit on one’s hands,

82.
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.
83.
take in hand,

84.
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.
85.
tie one’s hands, to render one powerless to act; thwart:
The provisions of the will tied his hands.
Also, have one’s hands tied.
86.
tip one’s hand, to reveal one’s plans or intentions before the propitious time.
87.
to hand,

88.
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.
89.
turn / put one’s hand to, to set to work at; busy oneself with:
He turned his hand successfully to gardening.
90.
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.
91.
with a heavy hand,

92.
with a high hand, in an arrogant or dictatorial manner; arbitrarily:
He ran the organization with a high hand.
/hænd/
noun
1.

2.
the corresponding or similar part in animals
3.
something resembling this in shape or function
4.

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 (sense 9)
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.
(usually used with a negative) a hand’s turn, 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, near at hand, very near or close, esp in time
30.
at someone’s hand, at someone’s hands, from: the acts of kindness received at their hands
31.
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

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

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

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

47.
set one’s hand to

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 (sense 3)
51.
to hand, accessible
52.
try one’s hand, to attempt to do something
53.
(modifier)

54.
(in combination) made by hand rather than by a machine: hand-sewn
verb (transitive)
55.
to transmit or offer by the hand or hands
56.
to help or lead with the hand
57.
(nautical) to furl (a sail)
58.
hand it to someone, to give credit to someone
abbreviation
1.
have a nice day
adj.

in compounds, “having hands” (of a certain type), mid-14c., from hand (n.).
n.

Old English hond, hand “hand; side; power, control, possession,” from Proto-Germanic *khanduz (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Dutch, German hand, Old Norse hönd, Gothic handus). The original Old English plural handa was superseded in Middle English by handen, later hands.

Meaning “person who does something with his hands” is from 1580s, hence “hired workman” (1630s) and “sailor in a ship’s crew” (1660s). Clock and watch sense is from 1570s. Meaning “round of applause” is from 1838. The linear measure of 4 inches (originally 3) is from 1560s, now used only in giving the height of horses. The meaning “playing cards held in one player’s hand” is from 1620s; that of “a round at a card game” is from 1620s.

First hand, second hand, etc. (mid-15c.) are from the notion of something being passed down from hand to hand. Out of hand (1590s) is opposite of in hand “under control” (c.1200). Hand over fist (1825) is suggestive of sailors and fishermen hauling in nets. Hand jive is from 1958. To win something hands down (1855) is from horse racing, from a jockey’s gesture of letting the reins go loose in an easy victory.

The Two Thousand Guinea Stakes was not the best contested one that it has been our fortune to assist at. … [T]hey were won by Meteor, with Scott for his rider; who went by the post with his hands down, the easiest of all easy half-lengths. Wiseacre certainly did the best in his power to spoil his position, and Misdeal was at one time a little vexatious. [“The Sportsman,” report from April 26, 1840]

To hand it to (someone) “acknowledge someone’s ability” is slang from c.1906. Phrase on the one hand … on the other hand is recorded from 1630s, a figurative use of the physical sense of hand in reference to position on one side or the other side of the body (as in the lefthand side), which goes back to Old English Hands up! as a command from a policeman, robber, etc., is from 1873. Hand-to-mouth is from c.1500. Hand-in-hand attested from c.1500 as “with hands clasped;” figurative sense of “concurrently” recorded from 1570s.

v.

c.1400, “take charge of, seize,” from hand (n.). Meaning “to pass (something to someone)” is from 1640s. Related: Handed; handing.

handed hand·ed (hān’dĭd)
adj.
Of, relating to, or characterizing the dexterity, preference, or size with respect to a hand or hands.

hand (hānd)
n.

Related Terms

ham-handed, left-handed, right-handed

verb

To give, esp something not desired; bestow forcefully, fraudulently, etc: The Red Sox handed the Yankees a 12 to 3 shellacking/ What kind of con job was he trying to hand you? (1919+)

Related Terms

both hands, cool hand, dead man’s hand, give someone the glad hand, glad-hand, have one’s hands full, not lay a glove on someone, tip one’s mitt, with one’s hand in the till, with one hand tied behind one’s back
have a nice day

Called by Galen “the instrument of instruments.” It is the symbol of human action (Ps. 9:16; Job 9:30; Isa. 1:15; 1 Tim. 2:8). Washing the hands was a symbol of innocence (Ps. 26:6; 73:13; Matt. 27:24), also of sanctification (1 Cor. 6:11; Isa. 51:16; Ps. 24:3, 4). In Ps. 77:2 the correct rendering is, as in the Revised Version, “My hand was stretched out,” etc., instead of, as in the Authorized Version, “My sore ran in the night,” etc. The right hand denoted the south, and the left the north (Job 23:9; 1 Sam. 23:19). To give the right hand was a pledge of fidelity (2 Kings 10:15; Ezra 10:19); also of submission to the victors (Ezek. 17:18; Jer. 50:15). The right hand was lifted up in taking an oath (Gen. 14:22, etc.). The hand is frequently mentioned, particularly the right hand, as a symbol of power and strength (Ps. 60:5; Isa. 28:2). To kiss the hand is an act of homage (1 Kings 19:18; Job 31:27), and to pour water on one’s hands is to serve him (2 Kings 3:11). The hand of God is the symbol of his power: its being upon one denotes favour (Ezra 7:6, 28; Isa. 1:25; Luke 1:66, etc.) or punishment (Ex. 9:3; Judg. 2:15; Acts 13:11, etc.). A position at the right hand was regarded as the chief place of honour and power (Ps. 45:9; 80:17; 110:1; Matt. 26:64).