handle

 
Pronunciation: /ˈhand(ə)l/

verb

[with object]
  • 1feel or manipulate with the hands: heavy paving slabs can be difficult to handle people who handle food
  • (chiefly in soccer) touch (the ball) with the hand or lower arm in contravention of the rules: he was sent off in the 84th minute for handling the ball [no object]: the first penalty came as Brown handled
  • 2manage (a situation or problem): a lawyer’s ability to handle a case properly
  • have commercial responsibility for: the advertising company that is handling the account
  • receive or deal in (stolen goods): he admitted handling the stolen chequebook
  • informal cope or deal with (someone or something): I don’t think I could handle it if they turned me down
  • [with adverbial] (handle oneself) conduct oneself in a specified manner: he handled himself with considerable aplomb
  • (handle oneself) informal defend oneself physically or verbally: I can handle myself in a fight
  • 3drive or control (a vehicle): he was going too fast and couldn’t handle the car
  • [no object, with adverbial] (of a vehicle) respond in a specified manner when being driven or controlled: the new model does not handle nearly so well

noun

  • 1the part by which a thing is held, carried, or controlled: a holdall with two carrying handles
  • (a handle on) a means of understanding, controlling, or approaching (a person or situation): this analogy will help readers to get a handle on the concept
  • 2 informal a name or nickname: that’s some handle for a baby if you use Twitter his handle is TheNextCorner
  • 3 [in singular] the feel of goods, especially textiles, when handled: fabrics with a softer handle
  • 4 [in singular] US informal the total amount of money bet over a particular time or at a particular event: the monthly handle of a couple of casinos in Las Vegas

Derivatives

handleability

Pronunciation: /-ˈbɪlɪti/
noun

handleable

adjective

handled

adjective
[in combination]: a side-handled baton

handleless

adjective

Origin:

Old English handle (noun), handlian (verb), from hand