- the terminal, prehensile part of the upper limb in humans and other primates, consisting of the wrist, metacarpal area, fingers, and thumb.
- the terminal part of the forelimb in any of the higher vertebrates.
- a terminal prehensile part, as the chela of a crustacean, or, in falconry, the foot of a falcon.
- something resembling a hand in shape or function, as various types of pointers: the hands of a clock.
- index (def. 8).
- a person employed in manual labor or for general duties; worker; laborer: a factory hand;a ranch hand.
- a person who performs or is capable of performing a specific work, skill, or action: She's a real hand at geometry.
- characteristic touch; skill; workmanship: It's rare to find a painting that shows a master's hand as clearly as this one.
- a person, with reference to ability or skill: He was a poor hand at running a business.
- a member of a ship's crew: The ship had an able skipper and eight good hands.
- possession or power; control, custody, or care: It's a great responsibility to have someone's fate in your hands.
- a position, especially one of control, used for bargaining, negotiating, etc.: We must take action to strengthen our hand.
- means; agency; instrumentality: The coroner ruled that the death was by his own hand.
- active participation or cooperation; assistance; aid: Give me a hand with this ladder.
- side; direction: There's no traffic on either hand of the road.
- style of handwriting; penmanship: She wrote in a beautiful hand.
- a person's signature: to set one's hand to a document.
- a round or outburst of applause for a performer: Let's all give a hand to the star of the show!
- a promise or pledge, as of marriage: He asked for her hand in marriage.
- a linear measure equal to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters), used especially in determining the height of horses.
- Cards.
- the cards dealt to or held by each player at one time.
- the person holding the cards.
- a single part of a game, in which all the cards dealt at one time are played.
- manus (def. 2).
- skill at manipulating the reins of a horse: To ride well, one must have good hands.
- a bunch, cluster, or bundle of various leaves, fruit, etc., as a bundle of tobacco leaves tied together or a cluster of bananas.
- 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.
- Building Trades.
- 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.
- the position of the hinges of a casement sash, in terms of right and left, from inside the window.
- the fabric properties that can be sensed by touching the material, as resilience, smoothness, or body: the smooth hand of satin.
- a person considered as a source, as of information or of supply.
- to deliver or pass with or as if with the hand.
- to help, assist, guide, etc., with the hand: He handed the elderly woman across the street.
- Nautical.
- to take in or furl (a sail).
- to haul on or otherwise handle.
- of, belonging to, using, or used by the hand.
- made by hand.
- carried in or worn on the hand.
- operated by hand; manual: a hand brake.
- hand down,
- to deliver (the decision of a court): The jury handed down a verdict of guilty.
- to transmit from one to another, especially to bequeath to posterity: The ring had been handed down from her grandmother.
- to submit; present for acceptance: She handed in her term paper after the deadline.He handed his resignation in yesterday.
- to hand the ball to a member of one's team in the course of a play.
- to transmit; pass on to a successor, posterity, etc.: The silver service was handed on to the eldest daughter of the family.
- to give or distribute; pass out: People were handing out leaflets on every corner.
- hand over,
- to deliver into the custody of another: Hand your wallet over now!
- to surrender control of: He handed over his business to his children.
- See entry at all hands on deck.
- firsthand (def. 1).
- at hand,
- within reach; nearby; close by.
- near in time; soon.
- ready for use: We keep a supply of canned goods at hand.
- second hand (def. 3).
- by the action of; through the agency of: They suffered at the hands of their stepfather.
- by using the hands, as opposed to machines; manually: lace made by hand.
- to pass from one owner to another; change possession: The property has changed hands several times in recent years.
- come to hand,
- to come within one's reach or notice: He was moved to tears when his father's old journal came to hand.
- to be received; arrive: The spring stock came to hand last week.
- to be totally submissive to another; be very attentive or servile: That spoiled brat has her parents eating out of her 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.
- from one person to another; through successive ownership or possession: The legendary jewel went from hand to hand.
- improvidently; precariously; with nothing in reserve: They looked forward to a time when they would no longer have to live from hand to mouth.
- 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.
- hand and foot,
- so as to hinder movement: They tied him hand and foot.
- slavishly and continually: Cinderella had to wait on her stepsisters hand and foot.
- very intimately associated: Several high-ranking diplomats were found to be hand and glove with enemy agents.
- hand in hand,
- with one's hand enclasped in that of another person.
- closely associated; concurrently; conjointly: Doctors and nurses work hand in hand to save lives.
- cash1 (def. 7).
- to give just credit to; pay respect to: You have to hand it to her for getting the work out.
- speedily; increasingly: He owns a chain of restaurants and makes money hand over fist.
- hands down,
- effortlessly; easily: He won the championship hands down.
- indisputably; incontestably: It was hands down the best race I've ever seen.
- don't touch, strike, or interfere! keep away from!: Hands off my laptop!
- hold your hands above your head! give up!
- in direct combat; at close quarters: The troops fought hand to hand.
- to have a share in; participate in: It is impossible that she could have had a hand in this notorious crime.
- 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.
- to join hands with another person as a token of affection: They have been seen holding hands in public.
- in hand,
- under control: He kept the situation well in hand.
- in one's possession: cash in hand.
- in the process of consideration or settlement: regarding the matter in hand.
- to unite in a common cause; combine: The democracies must join hands in order to survive.
- 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.
- lay one's hands on,
- to obtain; acquire: I wish I could lay my hands on a good used piano.
- to seize, especially in order to punish: He wanted to lay his hands on the person who had backed into his car.
- to impose the hands in a ceremonial fashion, as in ordination: The bishop laid hands on the candidates.
- to lend assistance; help out: Lend a hand and we'll finish the job in no time.
- to exert any effort: She wouldn't lift a hand to help anyone.
- off one's hands,
- out of one's charge or care: Now, with their children grown and off their hands, they will be free to travel.
- successfully completed; finished: The lawyer planned a vacation as soon as the case was off his hands.
- on all hands,
- by everyone; universally: It was decided on all hands to take an excursion.
- on every side; all around: piercing glances on all hands.
- on hand,
- in one's possession; at one's disposal: cash on hand.
- about to occur; imminent: A change of government may be on hand.
- present1 (def. 4): There were not enough members on hand to constitute a quorum.
- from another side or aspect; conversely: It was an unfortunate experience, but, on the other hand, one can learn from one's mistakes.
- under one's care or management; as one's responsibility: He was left with a large surplus on his hands.
- out of hand,
- beyond control: to let one's temper get out of hand.
- without delay; at once: The crisis obliged him to act out of hand.
- no longer in process; finished: The case has been out of hand for some time.
- without consideration or deliberation: to reject a proposal out of hand.
- to clasp another's hand in greeting, congratulation, or agreement: They shook hands on the proposed partnership.
- to disclose or display one's true intentions or motives: The impending revolution forced him to show his hand.
- sit on one's hands,
- to be unenthusiastic or unappreciative; fail to applaud: It was a lively show, but the audience sat on its hands.
- to take no action; be passive or hesitant: While he was being beaten, the others sat on their hands.
- to take part in; participate in: If the strike continues, the government will have to take a hand in the negotiations.
- take in hand,
- to undertake responsibility for; assume charge: When both parents died, an uncle took the youngster in hand.
- to deal with; treat of: We'll take the matter in hand at the next meeting.
- to admit one's inadequacy, exasperation, or failure; despair: When the general received reports of an enemy build-up, he threw up his hands.
- to render one powerless to act; thwart: The provisions of the will tied his hands.
- to reveal one's plans or intentions before the propitious time.
- to hand,
- within reach; accessible or nearby.
- into one's possession: A search of the attic brought some valuable antiques to hand.
- to test one's skill or aptitude for: After becoming a successful painter, he decided to try his hand at sculpture.
- to set to work at; busy oneself with: He turned his hand successfully to gardening.
- to disclaim any further responsibility for; renounce interest in or support of: I washed my hands of the entire affair.
- with a heavy hand,
- with severity; oppressively: The law will punish offenders with a heavy hand.
- in a clumsy manner; awkwardly; gracelessly: The play was directed with a heavy hand.
- in an arrogant or dictatorial manner; arbitrarily: He ran the organization with a high hand.
- U.S. jurist.
- the prehensile part of the body at the end of the arm, consisting of a thumb, four fingers, and a palm
- the bones of this part
- the corresponding or similar part in animals
- something resembling this in shape or function
- the cards dealt to one or all players in one round of a card game
- a player holding such cards
- one round of a card game
- agency or influence
- a part in something done
- assistance
- a pointer on a dial, indicator, or gauge, esp on a clock
- acceptance or pledge of partnership, as in marriage
- a position or direction indicated by its location to the side of an object or the observer
- a contrastive aspect, condition, etc (in the phrases on the one hand, on the other hand)
- (preceded by an ordinal number) source or origin
- a person, esp one who creates something
- a labourer or manual worker
- a member of a ship's crew
- printing another name for index (def. 9)
- a person's handwriting
- a round of applause
- ability or skill
- a manner or characteristic way of doing something
- a unit of length measurement equalling four inches, used for measuring the height of horses, usually from the front hoof to the withers
- a cluster or bundle, esp of bananas
- a shoulder of pork
- one of the two possible mirror-image forms of an asymmetric object, such as the direction of the helix in a screw thread
- freedom to do as desired
- a small amount of work
- tyranny, persecution, or oppression
- an oppressive or dictatorial manner
- very near or close, esp in time
- from
- by hand
- by manual rather than mechanical means
- by messenger or personally
- to become available; be received
- to force someone to act
- from one person to another
- from hand to mouth
- in poverty
- without preparation or planning
- in all ways possible; completely
- in an intimate relationship or close association
- hand in hand
- together; jointly
- clasping each other's hands
- steadily and quickly; with rapid progress
- to stop or postpone a planned action or punishment
- to support, help, or guide someone, esp by giving sympathy or moral support
- in hand
- in possession
- under control
- receiving attention or being acted on
- available for use; in reserve
- with deferred payment
- to continue or practise
- to help
- close by; present
- out of hand
- beyond control
- without reservation or deeper examination
- set one's hand to
- to sign (a document)
- to start (a task or undertaking)
- to reveal one's stand, opinion, or plans
- to discipline; control
- throw one's hand in See throw in (def. 3)
- accessible
- to attempt to do something
- (modifier)
- of or involving the hand
- made to be carried in or worn on the hand
- operated by hand
- made by hand rather than by a machine
- to transmit or offer by the hand or hands
- to help or lead with the hand
- to furl (a sail)
- to give credit to someone
- have a nice day