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A Hand 🧤

  1. The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals.
  2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand.
    1. A limb of certain animals, such as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
    2. An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour and minute hands on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day.
  3. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once.
    1. (card games) The set of cards held by a player.
      1. A round of a card game.
    2. (tobacco manufacturing) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
    3. (collective) A bunch of bananas, a typical retail amount, where individual fruits are fingers.
  4. In linear measurement:
    1. (chiefly in measuring the height of horses) Four inches, a hand's breadth.
    2. (obsolete) Three inches.
  5. A side; part, camp; direction, either right or left.
  6. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity.
  7. (especially in compounds) An agent; a servant, or manual laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty.
  8. A performer more or less skilful.
  9. An instance of helping.
  10. Handwriting; style of penmanship.
  11. A person's autograph or signature.
  12. Promise, word; especially of a betrothal.
  13. Personal possession; ownership.
  14. (chiefly in the plural) Management, domain, control.
  15. (colloquial, chiefly in the negative plural) A hand which is free to assist; especially due to having one's hands full or otherwise fully preoccupied.
  16. Applause.
  17. (historical) A Native American gambling game, involving guessing the whereabouts of bits of ivory or similar, which are passed rapidly from hand to hand.
  18. (firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.
  19. A whole rhizome of ginger.
  20. The feel of a fabric; the impression or quality of the fabric as judged qualitatively by the sense of touch.
  21. (archaic) Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance.
  22. (archaic) Agency in transmission from one person to another.
  23. (obsolete) Rate; price.
Usage notes

Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as,

(a) Activity; operation; work; — in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection.His hand will be against every man. — Genesis 16:12(b) Power; might; supremacy; — often in the Scriptures.With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you. — Ezekiel 20:33.(c) Fraternal feeling; for example to give, or take, the hand; to give the right hand(d) Contract; — commonly of marriage; for example to ask the hand; to pledge the hand

Synonyms