hænd n. & v. --n. 1 a
the end part of the
human arm
beyond the
wrist, including the fingers
and thumb. b in
other primates, the end part of a
forelimb,
also used as a
foot. 2 a (often in pl.)
control,
management,
custody,
disposal (is in
good hands). b
agency or
influence (suffered at
their hands). c a share in an
action;
active support. 3 a
thing compared
with a hand or
its functions,
esp. the
pointer of a clock or
watch. 4 the
right or left
side or
direction relative to a
person or thing. 5 a a
skill, esp. in
something practical (a hand
for making pastry). b a person
skilful in
some respect. 6 a person
who does or makes something, esp. distinctively (a
picture by the
same hand). 7 an individual's
writing or the
style of
this; a
signature (a
legible hand; in one's
own hand;
witness the hand of ...). 8 a person etc. as the
source of
information etc. (at
first hand). 9 a
pledge of
marriage. 10 a person as a source of
manual labour esp. in a
factory, on a
farm, or on
board ship. 11 a the playing-cards
dealt to a
player. b the player
holding these. c a
round of
play. 12 colloq.
applause (got a
big hand). 13 the
unit of
measure of a horse's
height,
equal to 4 inches (10.16 cm). 14 a
forehock of
pork. 15 a
bunch of bananas. 16 (attrib.) a operated or
held in the hand (hand-drill; hand-luggage). b
done by hand and
not by
machine (hand-knitted). --v.tr. 1 (foll. by
in,
to,
over, etc.)
deliver;
transfer by hand or
otherwise. 2
convey verbally (handed me a
lot of abuse). 3 colloq.
give away too readily (handed
them the advantage). øall hands 1 the
entire crew of a ship. 2 the entire
workforce. at hand 1 close
by. 2
about to
happen. by hand 1 by a person and not a machine. 2 delivered privately and not by the
public post.
from hand to
mouth satisfying
only one's
immediate needs (also attrib.: a hand-to-mouth existence).
get (or
have or keep) one's hand in
become (or be or remain) practised in something. give (or lend) a hand
assist in an action or
enterprise. hand and foot completely; satisfying
all demands (waited on them hand and foot). hand
cream an
emollient for the hands. hand down 1 pass the ownership or
use of to
another. 2 a
transmit (a decision) from a higher
court etc. b US express (an
opinion or verdict). hand-grenade see
GRENADE. hand in
glove in
collusion or
association. hand in hand in close association. hand it to colloq.
acknowledge the
merit of (a person). hand-me-down an
article of
clothing etc. passed on from another person. hand
off Rugby Football push off (a tackling opponent) with the hand. hand on pass (a thing) to the
next in a
series or
succession. hand
out 1
serve,
distribute. 2
award,
allocate (the judges handed out
stiff sentences). hand-out 1 something
given free to a
needy person. 2 a
statement given to the press etc. hand over deliver;
surrender possession of. hand-over n. the
act or an
instance of handing over. hand-over-fist colloq. with
rapid progress. hand-pick
choose carefully or
personally. hand-picked carefully or personally
chosen. hand round distribute. hands down (esp. of winning) with no
difficulty. hands off 1 a
warning not to
touch or
interfere with something. 2 Computing etc. not requiring manual use of controls. hands on Computing of or requiring
personal operation at a
keyboard. hands up! an
instruction to
raise one's hands in surrender or to
signify assent or participation. hand-to-hand (of fighting) at close quarters. have (or take) a hand in share or
take part in. have one's hands full be
fully occupied. have one's hands
tied colloq. be
unable to act. hold one's hand = stay one's hand (see HAND). in hand 1 receiving
attention. 2 in
reserve; at one's disposal. 3
under one's control. lay (or put) one's hands on see
LAY(1). off one's hands no longer one's
responsibility. on
every hand (or all hands) to or from all directions. on hand
available. on one's hands resting on
one as a responsibility. on the one (or the other) hand from one (or another)
point of
view. out of hand 1 out of control. 2 peremptorily (refused out of hand). put (or set) one's hand to
start work on;
engage in. stay one's hand
archaic or
literary refrain from action. to hand 1
within easy reach. 2 (of a letter) received.
turn one's hand to
undertake (as a
new activity). øøhanded adj. handless adj. [OE hand, hond]