See Also: Hand for Hand - Poker(gambling)
hand-me-down(dictionary)
In hand(finance)
hand(encyclopedia)
second-hand(dictionary)
hand-off(dictionary)
right-hand(dictionary)
right-hand man(dictionary)
first-hand(dictionary)
one-hand(medicine)

hand(1) (iou)



hand noun. [hand]

I. The member; its use; its position; its symbolic representation.
The terminal part of the human arm beyond the wrist, consisting of the palm, fingers, and thumb; a similar (i.e. prehensile) member forming the terminal part of a limb of any animal, e.g. of all four limbs of a monkey; the forefoot of a quadruped. OE.
V. S. Naipaul She started to count off the fingers of her left hand. Aldous Huxley The hand he gave to Jeremy was disagreeably sweaty. M. Amis His hands palm-upwards on its grained surface.
b. The whole arm. E17-M18.
Possession, care, custody, authority, disposal. Chiefly in in a person's hands below. Usu. in pl. OE.
D. Cusack The future of social morality is in the hands of women. S. Spender It was expected that Madrid would fall into their hands within a matter of hours. V. S. Naipaul The farm manager retired...The farm passed into new hands.
Action performed with the hand; agency, instrumentality; manual assistance. OE.
A. Haley All of this had happened to her at the hands of Massa Waller. G. Winokur 15 per cent will die by their own hand. Times Listing all the troublespots attributed by the Americans to 'the hand of Moscow'.
b. A part or share in an action. L16.
K. Amis I'm sorry it's happened, but I had no hand in it. R. Rendell Wexford felt sure no true architect had had a hand in its building.
c. A turn in various games, as billiards, rackets, etc.; an innings in cricket. Cf. sense 19c below. L18.
Side, position, direction. (See also LEFT HAND, RIGHT HAND.) OE.
R. L. Stevenson The bed of a stream, lined on either hand with sweet-smelling willows. J. Mortimer At Doughty's right hand sat Grace.
A pledge (of agreement or acceptance); esp. a promise of marriage. ME.
J. Austen When the dancing recommenced..and Darcy approached to claim her hand. L. Strachey Various candidates for her hand were proposedamong others..Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg. Henry Miller All I had to do was to ask her to marry me, ask her hand.
A round of applause. colloq. L16.
L. Armstrong The kids gave me a big hand when they saw the gleaming bright instrument. F. Astaire At the final exit of our closing dance number we received a sparse, sympathetic kind of hand.
In pl. = HANDBALL noun 5. L19.
II. Something resembling the hand in size or form.
An image of or device shaped like a hand. OE.
b. Typography. = FIST noun1 2b. Now rare. E17.
A pointer on a clock for indicating the divisions of the dial. M16.
hour-hand, minute hand, seconds-hand.
J. Masters The hands were very dim on its blurred white face.
A linear measure, now only used of a horse's height, equal to four inches; a hand-breadth. M16.
Horse International He..already stands 16.3 hands after wintering out.
b. A measure of quantity of various commodities etc., as a cluster of bananas, a handful of tobacco leaves, or a palmate root of ginger. E18.
Douglas Stuart Two hands of men, ten men, all proper men, had charge of them. H. Bascom He..took a hand of green plantains from off a bunch.
Cookery. A shoulder of pork or, formerly, of mutton. L17.
III. As representing a person.
a. A performer of some action; spec. a performer, writer, etc., of some artistic or literary work. ME.
W. Paley Everything about them indicates that they come from the same hand. Proverb: Many hands make light work.
b. A manual worker; spec. a member of a ship's crew. M17.
W. Scoresby All hands on board perished. Betty Smith The poor do everything with their own hands and the rich hire hands to do things. P. Ustinov The son of a stable hand.
A person as a source from which something originates or is obtained. Now only with ordinal numerals, as first hand, second hand, etc. LME.
W. Bedell You have it but at the third, or fourth hand, perhaps the thirtieth or fortieth. W. Cowper I might..serve your Honour with cauliflowers and broccoli at the best hand. J. W. Croker I hear from a good hand that the King is doing much better.
A person of a specified skill, ability, or character. colloq. L18.
V. Woolf I was never a great hand at that. M. Cox But you know I am no hand at expressing myself.
IV. Capacity, performance.
Capacity for or skill in doing something with the hand; gen. skill, ability, knack. ME.
A. Radcliffe I had always a hand at carpentry.
b. Horsemanship. Skill in handling the reins. LME.
Style of writing, esp. as belonging to a particular person, historical period, profession, etc. LME.
Italian hand, round hand, running hand, etc.
F. O'Connor It was written in a drunken-looking hand. G. Greene A message written in his clear slanting American hand. J. Gardner An old almanac with notes in the margin, written in his father's childish hand.
b. The signature of a person. M16.
Oxford English Dictionary As witness the hands of the said A.B. and C.D.
Style of artistic execution; touch; handiwork. M17.
Horace Walpole By what I have seen of his hand,..he was an admirable master. M. Arnold The compiler did not put his last hand to the work.
V. Something held in the hand.
A handle. Now only Scot. LME.
The cards dealt to each player at the beginning of a card-game; the cards held at any stage of a game (esp. poker). L16.
M. Piercy You have to find out what kind of hand she's holding. fig.: I. Murdoch She had been dealt a rotten hand by fate.
b. The person holding the cards. L16.
c. A round of play with these cards. E17.
V. Sackville-West She played an admirable hand at Bridge.
Phrases etc.: a bird in the hand: see BIRD noun. as easy as kiss my hand: see KISS verb. at hand (a) near, close by; (b) near in time; (c) at the start. at FIRST HAND. at the hands of from, through the action of. bear a hand: see BEAR verb1. bear in hand: see BEAR verb1. bind hand and foot bind completely. bite the hand that feeds one: see BITE verb. bloody hand: see BLOODY adjective & adverb. by hand (a) with the hand or hands, by manual action or labour; (b) (of writing) not typed, printed, etc.; (c) (of a delivery etc.) by messenger, not posted. by my hand, by this hand: introducing a solemn oath. cap in hand: see CAP noun1. change hands (a) pass to a different owner; (b) use opposite hands for a task, action, etc. clean hands: see CLEAN adjective. come in foot and hand: see FOOT noun. come to hand turn up, come into one's possession; be received. dab hand: see DAB noun3. dead hand: see DEAD adjective etc. do a hand's turn do a stroke of work, make the slightest effort (usu. in neg. contexts). easy as kiss my hand: see KISS verb. eat out of a person's hand: see EAT verb. fine-hand: see FINE adjective. FIRST HAND. force a person's hand: see FORCE verb1. for one's own hand for one's own benefit, on one's own account. free hand: see FREE adjective. from hand to mouth, hand to mouth improvidently, precariously, with provision for immediate needs only. full-hand: see FULL adjective. get one's hand in get in practice. get one's hands on find, get hold of. give a free hand: see FREE adjective. give a hand help, lend assistance, (to a person). give one's hand present one's hand to be grasped to seal a bargain, make peace, etc. hand and glove (with), hand in glove (with) on intimate terms (with), in close association (with). hand in hand with hands mutually clasped; fig. together, in close association. hand of glory [translating French main de gloire, alt. of mandegloire, orig. mandragore mandrake] orig., a French charm made from a mandrake root; later, a charm made from the hand of an executed criminal. hand of writ Scot. handwriting. hand over hand, hand over fist with each hand successively passing the other as in climbing a rope etc.; fig. with steady or rapid progress. hands down with ease, with little or no effort; esp. in win hands down. hands off! do not touch! do not interfere! (cf. hands-off below). hands up!: ordering a person or persons to raise one hand to signify assent or both hands to signify surrender. hand to hand (of fighting) at close quarters, man to man. hand to mouth: see from hand to mouth above. have a free hand: see FREE adjective. have a hand in have a share in, be involved in. have one's hand in be in practice. have one's hand in the till fig. steal, embezzle. have one's hands full be fully occupied. have one's hands tied fig. be powerless to act. heel of the hand: see HEEL noun1. helping hand: see HELP verb. hidden hand: see HIDDEN adjective. hold a person's hand fig. give close guidance or moral support to a person. hold hands be hand in hand. hold one's hand refrain from action, esp. punishment. in a person's hands to be dealt with by a person, subject to his or her control. in hand (a) held in the hand; (b) in actual possession, at one's disposal; to spare; (c) in process or preparation, receiving attention; (d) under control; (e) led by the hand, a leash, etc.; (f) in suspense. in huckster's hands: see HUCKSTER noun. in the hollow of one's hand: see HOLLOW noun1. iron hand in a velvet glove: see IRON adjective. join hands = hold hands above. keep one's hand in keep in practice. kiss hands: see KISS verb. know like the back of one's hand: see BACK noun1. lay hands on: see LAY verb1. lay hands on the ark: see ARK 2. lay one's hands on = get one's hands on above. lend a hand = give a hand above. light hand: see LIGHT adjective1. lone hand: see LONE adjective & adverb. make a fine hand, make a good hand, etc., make a fine, good, etc., success or profit. man of his hands a practical or skilful person. off one's hands no longer one's responsibility or on one's hands. old hand: see OLD adjective. on hand (a) in one's possession, in one's charge or keeping; (b) in attendance. on all hands, on every hand on all sides, to or from every quarter. on one hand = on the one hand below. on one's hands resting on one as a charge or responsibility. on the one hand: introducing a point of view, fact, etc. (often followed by another which contrasts with it, introduced by on the other hand). on the other hand: introducing a point of view, fact, etc., contrasting with another previously mentioned (often introduced by on one hand, on the one hand). out of hand (a) at once, immediately, without thinking; (b) out of control; (c) done with, dealt with. play into the hands of: see PLAY verb. put one's hand in one's pocket: see POCKET noun. put one's hands on = get one's hands on above. put one's hand to set about, undertake. put one's hand to the plough: see PLOUGH noun. SECOND HAND. serve hand and foot, wait on hand and foot: assiduously, servilely. set in hand: see SET verb1. set one's hand to (a) = put one's hand to above; (b) write one's signature on, authorize by signing. set one's hand to the plough: see PLOUGH noun. shake a person's hand, shake by the hand, shake hands (with): see SHAKE verb. show one's hand: see SHOW verb. sit on one's hands: see SIT verb. stay one's hand, stay a person's hand: see STAY verb1. strike hands: see STRIKE verb. take hands join hands, esp. in marriage. take in hand take the responsibility of; undertake (a task); esp. undertake the charge or care of (a person). take one's courage in both hands: see COURAGE noun 4. throw in one's hand: see THROW verb. tie hand and foot = bind hand and foot above. time on one's hands: see TIME noun. to hand (a) within reach, accessible; (b) (now rare) under control. to one's hand ready for one to deal with easily. try one's hand: see TRY verb. turn one's hand to undertake for the first time. under one's hand, under hand with one's signature, properly signed. upper hand: see UPPER adjective. wait on hand and foot: see serve hand and foot above. wash one's hands: see WASH verb. wash one's hands of: see WASH verb. WEAKEN the hands of. with a heavy hand: see HEAVY adjective. with a high hand: see HIGH adjective. with both hands fig. with all one's might.
Attrib. & comb.: In the senses 'held or carried in the hand', as hand-baggage, hand-camera, hand-microphone, hand-mirror, 'operated by hand', as handbrake, hand-drill, hand-press, hand-pump, hand-puppet, or with ref. to action performed by or with the hand, as opp. to by machine, as hand-knitted, hand-painted, hand-sewn, hand-written adjectives, hand-wash verb. Special combs., as hand-axe an axe used or wielded with one hand; spec. in Archaeology, a large bifacially worked stone cutting tool with no haft, typical of certain lower and middle palaeolithic industries; handbag (a) a small bag for holding personal articles such as a purse, wallet, diary, etc.; (b) a light travelling-bag; (c) handbags (at ten paces, at dawn, etc.) (colloq.), a minor confrontation or squabble, esp. in sport; hand-barrow: see BARROW noun3 1; handbell a small bell rung by being swung in the hand; spec. each of a set of such bells specially designed for musical performance; handbill a printed notice delivered or circulated by hand; hand-breadth, hand's-breadth a unit of linear measure (not now in technical use) based on the width of the average adult hand and equal to approx. four inches; handcar N. Amer. a light railway vehicle propelled by cranks or levers and used by workers for inspecting the track; handcart: drawn or pushed by hand; handclasp (chiefly US) = HANDGRIP 2; hand cream an emollient for the hands; hand-gallop an easy controlled gallop; hand-grenade a grenade designed to be thrown by hand; handhold a hold for the hand; a projection, crack etc., which one can hold on to in climbing; handhorn Music a natural horn played by stopping the bell with the hand; hand-jam verb & noun (Mountaineering) (a) verb intrans. wedge a hand in a crack as a handhold; (b) noun the action of hand-jamming; handjob coarse slang an act of (usu. male) masturbation; hand-labour manual labour; handline noun & verb (Angling) (fish using) a line worked or drawn by hand; handlist: of books etc. for easy reference; handloom a weaver's loom worked by hand as opp. to by machine; handmade adjective made by hand as opp. to by machine; handmaid, handmaiden (arch. exc. fig.), a female attendant or servant; hand-mill a mill consisting of one millstone turned on another by hand; a small mill for grinding coffee etc.; hand-organ a barrel-organ played by means of a crank turned by the hand; handpicked adjective carefully chosen; hand-press a printing-press operated by hand; handprint the mark left by the impression of a hand; handrail a rail or railing used as support for the hand or as a guard along the edge of a platform, stairs, etc.; handrunning adverb (dial. or colloq.) consecutively, in a row; hands-across-the-sea promoting closer links, friendly. handsaw a saw used or worked with one hand; know a hawk from a handsaw: see HAWK noun1; hand's-breadth: see hand-breadth above; handset a telephone mouthpiece and earpiece as one unit; hands-free adjective (esp. of a telephone) designed to be operable without the use of the hands; hand signal a manual indication by a cyclist or driver of a motor vehicle of his or her intention to stop, turn, etc.; hands-off adjective & adverb [from hands off! above] (a) adjective (of a policy, attitude, etc.) non-intervening, aloof; (of a flight) automatic; (b) adverb automatically. hands-on adjective involving direct participation, practical, not theoretical; (of a person) having or willing to gain practical experience; handspring a gymnastic movement in which a performer moves forwards or backwards from a standing position on to the hands and completes a somersault, landing on the feet; hand-staff a handle resembling a staff; esp. that of a flail; handstand a gymnastic movement in which the body is supported vertically in an upside-down position by the hands alone; hand-to-mouth adjective improvident, precarious, providing for immediate needs only (cf. (from) hand to mouth above); hand-towel a small towel for drying the hands after washing.