Hand

[hænd]

Definition

(noun.) physical assistance; 'give me a hand with the chores'.

(noun.) terminal part of the forelimb in certain vertebrates (e.g. apes or kangaroos); 'the kangaroo's forearms seem undeveloped but the powerful five-fingered hands are skilled at feinting and clouting'- Springfield (Mass.) Union.

(noun.) a rotating pointer on the face of a timepiece; 'the big hand counts the minutes'.

(noun.) the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb; 'he had the hands of a surgeon'; 'he extended his mitt'.

(noun.) ability; 'he wanted to try his hand at singing'.

(noun.) one of two sides of an issue; 'on the one hand..., but on the other hand...'.

(noun.) a round of applause to signify approval; 'give the little lady a great big hand'.

(noun.) the cards held in a card game by a given player at any given time; 'I didn't hold a good hand all evening'; 'he kept trying to see my hand'.

(noun.) a position given by its location to the side of an object; 'objections were voiced on every hand'.

(noun.) a member of the crew of a ship; 'all hands on deck'.

(noun.) a unit of length equal to 4 inches; used in measuring horses; 'the horse stood 20 hands'.

(verb.) guide or conduct or usher somewhere; 'hand the elderly lady into the taxi' .

Edited by Julia--From WordNet

Definition

(n.) That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in man and monkeys, and the corresponding part in many other animals; manus; paw. See Manus.

(n.) That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand

(n.) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.

(n.) An index or pointer on a dial; as, the hour or minute hand of a clock.

(n.) A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses.

(n.) Side; part; direction, either right or left.

(n.) Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity.

(n.) Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance.

(n.) An agent; a servant, or laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty; a performer more or less skillful; as, a deck hand; a farm hand; an old hand at speaking.

(n.) Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad or running hand. Hence, a signature.

(n.) Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; -- usually in the plural.

(n.) Agency in transmission from one person to another; as, to buy at first hand, that is, from the producer, or when new; at second hand, that is, when no longer in the producer's hand, or when not new.

(n.) Rate; price.

(n.) That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once

(n.) The quota of cards received from the dealer.

(n.) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.

(n.) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.

(v. t.) To give, pass, or transmit with the hand; as, he handed them the letter.

(v. t.) To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct; as, to hand a lady into a carriage.

(v. t.) To manage; as, I hand my oar.

(v. t.) To seize; to lay hands on.

(v. t.) To pledge by the hand; to handfast.

(v. t.) To furl; -- said of a sail.

(v. i.) To cooperate.

Inputed by Cherie

Synonyms and Synonymous

n. [1]. Palm and fingers, PAW.[2]. Palm, four inches (in estimating the height of a horse), hand-breadth.[3]. Side (right or left).[4]. Skill, ability, talent, faculty, dexterity.[5]. Handiwork, workmanship.[6]. Mode of procedure.[7]. Agency, intervention, participation.[8]. Possession, control, power.[9]. Laborer, workman, operative, EMPLOY?/span>, artisan, artificer, craftsman.[10]. Index, pointer, indicator.[11]. Chirography, handwriting, style of penmanship.

v. a. [1]. Give (with the hand), transmit, present, pass by hand.[2]. Lead, conduct, guide.

Edited by Hamilton

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Laborer, workman, operative, artisan, agency, influence, index

ANT:Employer

Typist: Nathaniel

Definition

n. the extremity of the arm below the wrist: that which does the duty of a hand by pointing as the hand of a clock: the fore-foot of a horse: a measure of four inches: an agent or workman: (pl.) work-people in a factory: performance agency co-operation: power or manner of performing: skill: possession: style of handwriting sign-manual: side: direction: the set of cards held by a single player at whist &c.: a single round at a game.—v.t. to give with the hand: to lead or conduct: (naut.) to furl as sails.—ns. Hand′-bag a bag for small articles carried in the hand; Hand′-ball the sport of throwing and catching a ball; Hand′-barr′ow a barrow without a wheel carried by men: Hand′-bas′ket a small portable basket; Hand′-bell a small bell held by the hand when rung a table-bell; Hand′bill a pruning-hook used in the hand: a bill or loose sheet with some announcement; Hand′book a manual or book of reference: a guide-book for travellers; Hand′breadth the breadth of a hand: a palm; Hand′-cart a small cart drawn by hand.—adj. Hand′ed (Milt.) with hands joined: (Shak.) having a hand of a certain sort.—ns. Hand′er; Hand′fast a firm grip handle: a contract esp. a betrothal.—adj. bound espoused: tight-fisted.—adj. Hand′fasted betrothed.—n. Hand′fasting betrothal: a private or even probationary form of marriage.—adj. Hand′-foot′ed having feet like hands chiropod.—ns. Hand′ful as much as fills the hand: a small number or quantity:—pl. Hand′fuls; Hand′-gall′op an easy gallop in which the speed of the horse is restrained by the bridle-hand; Hand′-glass a glass or small glazed frame used to protect plants: a small mirror; Hand′-grenade′ a grenade to be thrown by the hand; Hand′grip grasp grip close struggle; Hand′icuffs Hand′ycuffs fighting hand to hand.—adj. Hand′less awkward.—ns. Hand-line a fishing-line worked by hand without a rod; Hand′-list a list for easy reference; Hand′-loom a weaver's loom worked by hand as distinguished from a power-loom.—adj. Hand′-made manufactured by hand not by a machine.—ns. Hand′maid Hand′maiden a female servant; Hand′-mill a mill worked by hand for coffee pepper &c. a quern; Hand′-or′gan a portable organ played by means of a crank turned by the hand; Hand′-pā′per a particular make of paper early in use at the Record Office with the water-mark of a hand pointing; Hand′-post a finger-post guide; Hand′-prom′ise a form of betrothal amongst the Irish peasantry; Hand′rail a rail supported by balusters as in staircases to hold by.—adv. phrase Hand′-run′ning straight on continuously.—ns. Hand′-saw a saw manageable by the hand—also the same as Hern′shaw in the proverb 'not to know a hawk from a handsaw;' Hand′-screen a small screen used to protect the face from the heat of the fire or sun; Hand′-screw an appliance for raising heavy weights a jack; Hand′spike a bar used with the hand as a lever.—n.pl. Hand′staves (B.) probably javelins.—ns. Hands′-turn a helping hand aid; Hand′work work done by hand as distinguished from machinery; Hand′writing the style of writing peculiar to each person: writing.—adj. Hand′-wrought made with the hands not by machinery.—Hand and glove (with) on very intimate terms; Hand down to transmit in succession; Hand in hand in union conjointly; Hand of God a term used for unforeseen unpreventable accidents as lightning tempest &c.; Hand over hand by passing the hands alternately one before or above the other; Hand over head rashly; Hands down with ease; Hands off! keep off! refrain from blows! Hands up a bushranger's call to surrender; Hand to hand at close quarters; Hand to mouth without thought for the future precariously.—A bird in the hand any advantage at present held; A cool hand a person not easily abashed; At any hand In any hand (Shak.) at any rate in any case; At first hand from the producer or seller or from the first source direct; At hand near in place or time; At second hand from an intermediate purchaser or source; Bear a hand make haste to help; Bear in hand (Shak.) to keep in expectation; Be hand and glove to be very intimate and familiar; Believed on all hands generally believed; Bloody or Red hand granted to baronets of Great Britain and Ireland in 1611; By the strong hand by force; Cap in hand humbly; Change hands to pass from one owner to another; Come to one's hand to be easy to do; Dead man's hand Hand-of-glory a charm to discover hidden treasure &c. made from a mandrake root or the hand of a man who has been executed holding a candle; For one's own hand on one's own account; From good hands from a reliable source; Gain the upper hand to obtain the mastery; Get one's hand in to become familiar with.—Handwriting on the wall any sign foreshadowing disaster (from Dan. v. 5).—Have a hand in to be concerned in; Have clean hands to be honest and incorruptible; Have full hands to be fully occupied; Hold hand (Shak.) to compete successfully; Hold in hand to restrain; In hand as present payment: in preparation: under control; Kiss the hand in token of submission; Lay hands on to seize; Laying on of hands the laying on of the hands of a bishop or presbyters in ordination; Lend a hand to give assistance; Off-hand Out of hand at once immediately without premeditation; Off one's hands no longer under one's responsible charge; Old hand one experienced as opposed to Young hand; On all hands on all sides; On hand ready available: in one's possession; On one's hands under one's care or responsibility; Poor hand an unskilful one; Second-hand inferior not new; Set the hand to to engage in undertake; Show one's hand to expose one's purpose to any one; Stand one's hand (slang) to pay for a drink to another; Strike hands to make a contract; Take in hand to undertake; Take off one's hands to relieve of something troublesome; To one's hand in readiness; Under one's hand with one's proper signature attached; Wash one's hands (of) to disclaim the responsibility for anything (Matt. xxvii. 24); With a heavy hand oppressively; With a high hand without taking other people into consideration audaciously.

Checker: Muriel