Hand

/hænd/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, used for feeling, holding, or manipulating objects.

She waved her hand in greeting.

A unit of measurement equal to 4 inches, used particularly in measuring the height of horses.

The horse stood 15 hands tall.

A playing card; a set of cards dealt to a player.

He had a great hand in the poker game.

Assistance or help.

Can you give me a hand with this project?

verb

To give or pass something to someone using the hand.

Please hand me the salt.

To manage or deal with something.

She was able to hand the difficult situation with ease.

Old English 'hand', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'hand' and German 'Hand'.

at hand

Close in vicinity or time.

give a hand

To help someone.

on hand

Available for use.

hand in hand

In close association or cooperation.

hand over fist

Increasing rapidly; doing something with great speed.

handshake

A gesture of greeting or agreement made by grasping another person's hand.

handyman

A person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home.

handcuff

A metal fastening for a person's wrists, used by the police.

handout

A document or material distributed to a group.

hands-on

Involving active participation; practical.

A handful of something.

He only had a hand of cash.

To get a hand on something; to gain control.

I need to get a hand on this project before it gets out of hand.

To give someone a hand.

I’ll give you a hand with that task.