Hand
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
hand
n 1: the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb; "he had
the hands of a surgeon"; "he extended his mitt" [syn:
{hand}, {manus}, {mitt}, {paw}]
2: a hired laborer on a farm or ranch; "the hired hand fixed the
railing"; "a ranch hand" [syn: {hired hand}, {hand}, {hired
man}]
3: something written by hand; "she recognized his handwriting";
"his hand was illegible" [syn: {handwriting}, {hand},
{script}]
4: ability; "he wanted to try his hand at singing"
5: a position given by its location to the side of an object;
"objections were voiced on every hand"
6: 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" [syn: {hand}, {deal}]
7: one of two sides of an issue; "on the one hand..., but on the
other hand..."
8: a rotating pointer on the face of a timepiece; "the big hand
counts the minutes"
9: a unit of length equal to 4 inches; used in measuring horses;
"the horse stood 20 hands"
10: a member of the crew of a ship; "all hands on deck"
11: a card player in a game of bridge; "we need a 4th hand for
bridge" [syn: {bridge player}, {hand}]
12: a round of applause to signify approval; "give the little
lady a great big hand"
13: 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
14: physical assistance; "give me a hand with the chores" [syn:
{hand}, {helping hand}]
v 1: place into the hands or custody of; "hand me the spoon,
please"; "Turn the files over to me, please"; "He turned
over the prisoner to his lawyers" [syn: {pass}, {hand},
{reach}, {pass on}, {turn over}, {give}]
2: guide or conduct or usher somewhere; "hand the elderly lady
into the taxi"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hand \Hand\ (h[a^]nd), n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw.
hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h["o]nd, Goth. handus, and
perh. to Goth. hin[thorn]an to seize (in comp.). Cf. {Hunt}.]
1. 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}.
[1913 Webster]
2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the
office of, a human hand; as:
(a) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or
any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
(b) An index or pointer on a dial; as, the hour or minute
hand of a clock.
[1913 Webster]
3. A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a
palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses.
[1913 Webster]
4. Side; part; direction, either right or left.
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On this hand and that hand, were hangings. --Ex.
xxxviii. 15.
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The Protestants were then on the winning hand.
--Milton.
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5. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill;
dexterity.
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He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator.
--Addison.
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6. Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence,
manner of performance.
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To change the hand in carrying on the war.
--Clarendon.
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Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my
hand. --Judges vi.
36.
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7. 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.
[1913 Webster]
A dictionary containing a natural history requires
too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be
hoped for. --Locke.
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I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile.
--Hazlitt.
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8. Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad, or
running hand. Hence, a signature.
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I say she never did invent this letter;
This is a man's invention and his hand. --Shak.
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Some writs require a judge's hand. --Burril.
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9. Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction;
management; -- usually in the plural. "Receiving in hand
one year's tribute." --Knolles.
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Albinus . . . found means to keep in his hands the
government of Britain. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
10. 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.
[1913 Webster]
11. Rate; price. [Obs.] "Business is bought at a dear hand,
where there is small dispatch." --Bacon.
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12. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once; as:
(a) (Card Playing) The quota of cards received from the
dealer.
(b) (Tobacco Manuf.) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied
together.
[1913 Webster]
13. (Firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock,
which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.
[1913 Webster]
Note: 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." --Gen. xvi. 12.
(b) Power; might; supremacy; -- often in the Scriptures.
"With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you."
--Ezek. xx. 33.
(c) Fraternal feeling; as, to give, or take, the hand; to
give the right hand.
(d) Contract; -- commonly of marriage; as, to ask the
hand; to pledge the hand.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Hand is often used adjectively or in compounds (with or
without the hyphen), signifying performed by the hand;
as, hand blow or hand-blow, hand gripe or hand-gripe:
used by, or designed for, the hand; as, hand ball or
handball, hand bow, hand fetter, hand grenade or
hand-grenade, handgun or hand gun, handloom or hand
loom, handmill or hand organ or handorgan, handsaw or
hand saw, hand-weapon: measured or regulated by the
hand; as, handbreadth or hand's breadth, hand gallop or
hand-gallop. Most of the words in the following
paragraph are written either as two words or in
combination.
[1913 Webster]
{Hand bag}, a satchel; a small bag for carrying books,
papers, parcels, etc.
{Hand basket}, a small or portable basket.
{Hand bell}, a small bell rung by the hand; a table bell.
--Bacon.
{Hand bill}, a small pruning hook. See 4th {Bill}.
{Hand car}. See under {Car}.
{Hand director} (Mus.), an instrument to aid in forming a
good position of the hands and arms when playing on the
piano; a hand guide.
{Hand drop}. See {Wrist drop}.
{Hand gallop}. See under {Gallop}.
{Hand gear} (Mach.), apparatus by means of which a machine,
or parts of a machine, usually operated by other power,
may be operated by hand.
{Hand glass}.
(a) A glass or small glazed frame, for the protection of
plants.
(b) A small mirror with a handle.
{Hand guide}. Same as {Hand director} (above).
{Hand language}, the art of conversing by the hands, esp. as
practiced by the deaf and dumb; dactylology.
{Hand lathe}. See under {Lathe}.
{Hand money}, money paid in hand to bind a contract; earnest
money.
{Hand organ} (Mus.), a barrel organ, operated by a crank
turned by hand.
{Hand plant}. (Bot.) Same as {Hand tree} (below). -- {Hand
rail}, a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. --Gwilt.
{Hand sail}, a sail managed by the hand. --Sir W. Temple.
{Hand screen}, a small screen to be held in the hand.
{Hand screw}, a small jack for raising heavy timbers or
weights; (Carp.) a screw clamp.
{Hand staff} (pl. {Hand staves}), a javelin. --Ezek. xxxix.
9.
{Hand stamp}, a small stamp for dating, addressing, or
canceling papers, envelopes, etc.
{Hand tree} (Bot.), a lofty tree found in Mexico
({Cheirostemon platanoides}), having red flowers whose
stamens unite in the form of a hand.
{Hand vise}, a small vise held in the hand in doing small
work. --Moxon.
{Hand work}, or {Handwork}, work done with the hands, as
distinguished from work done by a machine; handiwork.
{All hands}, everybody; all parties.
{At all hands}, {On all hands}, on all sides; from every
direction; generally.
{At any hand}, {At no hand}, in any (or no) way or direction;
on any account; on no account. "And therefore at no hand
consisting with the safety and interests of humility."
--Jer. Taylor.
{At first hand}, {At second hand}. See def. 10 (above).
{At hand}.
(a) Near in time or place; either present and within
reach, or not far distant. "Your husband is at hand;
I hear his trumpet." --Shak.
(b) Under the hand or bridle. [Obs.] "Horses hot at
hand." --Shak.
{At the hand of}, by the act of; as a gift from. "Shall we
receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive
evil?" --Job ii. 10.
{Bridle hand}. See under {Bridle}.
{By hand}, with the hands, in distinction from
instrumentality of tools, engines, or animals; as, to weed
a garden by hand; to lift, draw, or carry by hand.
{Clean hands}, freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of
dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. "He that
hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." --Job
xvii. 9.
{From hand to hand}, from one person to another.
{Hand in hand}.
(a) In union; conjointly; unitedly. --Swift.
(b) Just; fair; equitable.
As fair and as good, a kind of hand in hand
comparison. --Shak.
{Hand over hand}, {Hand over fist}, by passing the hands
alternately one before or above another; as, to climb hand
over hand; also, rapidly; as, to come up with a chase hand
over hand.
{Hand over head}, negligently; rashly; without seeing what
one does. [Obs.] --Bacon.
{Hand running}, consecutively; as, he won ten times hand
running.
{Hands off!} keep off! forbear! no interference or meddling!
{Hand to hand}, in close union; in close fight; as, a hand to
hand contest. --Dryden.
{Heavy hand}, severity or oppression.
{In hand}.
(a) Paid down. "A considerable reward in hand, and . . .
a far greater reward hereafter." --Tillotson.
(b) In preparation; taking place. --Chaucer. "Revels . .
. in hand." --Shak.
(c) Under consideration, or in the course of transaction;
as, he has the business in hand.
{In one's hand} or {In one's hands}.
(a) In one's possession or keeping.
(b) At one's risk, or peril; as, I took my life in my
hand.
{Laying on of hands}, a form used in consecrating to office,
in the rite of confirmation, and in blessing persons.
{Light hand}, gentleness; moderation.
{Note of hand}, a promissory note.
{Off hand}, {Out of hand}, forthwith; without delay,
hesitation, or difficulty; promptly. "She causeth them to
be hanged up out of hand." --Spenser.
{Off one's hands}, out of one's possession or care.
{On hand}, in present possession; as, he has a supply of
goods on hand.
{On one's hands}, in one's possession care, or management.
{Putting the hand under the thigh}, an ancient Jewish
ceremony used in swearing.
{Right hand}, the place of honor, power, and strength.
{Slack hand}, idleness; carelessness; inefficiency; sloth.
{Strict hand}, severe discipline; rigorous government.
{To bear a hand} (Naut.), to give help quickly; to hasten.
{To bear in hand}, to keep in expectation with false
pretenses. [Obs.] --Shak.
{To be hand and glove with} or {To be hand in glove with}.
See under {Glove}.
{To be on the mending hand}, to be convalescent or improving.
{To bring up by hand}, to feed (an infant) without suckling
it.
{To change hand}. See {Change}.
{To change hands}, to change sides, or change owners.
--Hudibras.
{To clap the hands}, to express joy or applause, as by
striking the palms of the hands together.
{To come to hand}, to be received; to be taken into
possession; as, the letter came to hand yesterday.
{To get hand}, to gain influence. [Obs.]
Appetites have . . . got such a hand over them.
--Baxter.
{To get one's hand in}, to make a beginning in a certain
work; to become accustomed to a particular business.
{To have a hand in}, to be concerned in; to have a part or
concern in doing; to have an agency or be employed in.
{To have in hand}.
(a) To have in one's power or control. --Chaucer.
(b) To be engaged upon or occupied with.
{To have one's hands full}, to have in hand all that one can
do, or more than can be done conveniently; to be pressed
with labor or engagements; to be surrounded with
difficulties.
{To have the (higher) upper hand}, or {To get the (higher)
upper hand}, to have, or get, the better of another person or
thing.
{To his hand}, {To my hand}, etc., in readiness; already
prepared. "The work is made to his hands." --Locke.
{To hold hand}, to compete successfully or on even
conditions. [Obs.] --Shak.
{To lay hands on}, to seize; to assault.
{To lend a hand}, to give assistance.
{To lift the hand against}, or {To put forth the hand
against}, to attack; to oppose; to kill.
{To live from hand to mouth}, to obtain food and other
necessaries as want compels, without previous provision.
{To make one's hand}, to gain advantage or profit.
{To put the hand unto}, to steal. --Ex. xxii. 8.
{To put the last hand to} or {To put the finishing hand to},
to make the last corrections in; to complete; to perfect.
{To set the hand to}, to engage in; to undertake.
That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that
thou settest thine hand to. --Deut. xxiii.
20.
{To stand one in hand}, to concern or affect one.
{To strike hands}, to make a contract, or to become surety
for another's debt or good behavior.
{To take in hand}.
(a) To attempt or undertake.
(b) To seize and deal with; as, he took him in hand.
{To wash the hands of}, to disclaim or renounce interest in,
or responsibility for, a person or action; as, to wash
one's hands of a business. --Matt. xxvii. 24.
{Under the hand of}, authenticated by the handwriting or
signature of; as, the deed is executed under the hand and
seal of the owner.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hand \Hand\ (h[a^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Handed}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Handing}.]
1. To give, pass, or transmit with the hand; as, he handed
them the letter.
[1913 Webster]
2. To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct; as,
to hand a lady into a carriage.
[1913 Webster]
3. To manage; as, I hand my oar. [Obs.] --Prior.
[1913 Webster]
4. To seize; to lay hands on. [Obs.] --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
5. To pledge by the hand; to handfast. [R.]
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6. (Naut.) To furl; -- said of a sail. --Totten.
[1913 Webster]
{To hand down}, to transmit in succession, as from father to
son, or from predecessor to successor; as, fables are
handed down from age to age; to forward to the proper
officer (the decision of a higher court); as, the Clerk of
the Court of Appeals handed down its decision.
{To hand over}, to yield control of; to surrender; to deliver
up.
[1913 Webster]
from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
HAND
//
[Usenet: very common] Abbreviation: Have A Nice Day. Typically used to
close a {Usenet} posting, but also used to informally close emails;
often preceded by {HTH}.
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Hand
Called by Galen "the instrument of instruments." It is the
symbol of human action (Ps. 9:16; Job 9:30; Isa. 1:15; 1 Tim.
2:8). Washing the hands was a symbol of innocence (Ps. 26:6;
73:13; Matt. 27:24), also of sanctification (1 Cor. 6:11; Isa.
51:16; Ps. 24:3, 4). In Ps. 77:2 the correct rendering is, as in
the Revised Version, "My hand was stretched out," etc., instead
of, as in the Authorized Version, "My sore ran in the night,"
etc.
The right hand denoted the south, and the left the north (Job
23:9; 1 Sam. 23:19). To give the right hand was a pledge of
fidelity (2 Kings 10:15; Ezra 10:19); also of submission to the
victors (Ezek. 17:18; Jer. 50:15). The right hand was lifted up
in taking an oath (Gen. 14:22, etc.). The hand is frequently
mentioned, particularly the right hand, as a symbol of power and
strength (Ps. 60:5; Isa. 28:2). To kiss the hand is an act of
homage (1 Kings 19:18; Job 31:27), and to pour water on one's
hands is to serve him (2 Kings 3:11). The hand of God is the
symbol of his power: its being upon one denotes favour (Ezra
7:6, 28; Isa. 1:25; Luke 1:66, etc.) or punishment (Ex. 9:3;
Judg. 2:15; Acts 13:11, etc.). A position at the right hand was
regarded as the chief place of honour and power (Ps. 45:9;
80:17; 110:1; Matt. 26:64).
from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
HAND. That part of the human body at the end of the arm.
2. Formerly the hand was considered as the symbol of good faith, and
some contracts derive their names from the fact that the hand was used in
making them; as handsale, (q.v.) mandatum, (q.v.) which comes from a
mandata. The hand is still used for various legal or forensic purposes. When
a person is accused of a crime and he is arraigned, and he is asked to hold
up his right hand; and when one is sworn as a witness, he is required to lay
his right hand on the Bible, or to hold it up.
3. Hand is also the name of a measure of length used in ascertaining
the height of horses. It is four inches long. See Measure: Ell.
4. In a figurative sense, by hand is understood a particular form of
writing; as if B writes a good hand. Various kinds of hand have been used,
as, the secretary hand, the Roman hand, the court hand, &c. Wills and
contracts may be written in any of these, or any other which is
intelligible.
from
U.S. Gazetteer Counties (2000)
Hand -- U.S. County in South Dakota
Population (2000): 3741
Housing Units (2000): 1840
Land area (2000): 1436.580481 sq. miles (3720.726206 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 3.633210 sq. miles (9.409971 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1440.213691 sq. miles (3730.136177 sq. km)
Located within: South Dakota (SD), FIPS 46
Location: 44.547411 N, 98.985268 W
Headwords:
Hand
Hand, SD
Hand County
Hand County, SD
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
517 Moby Thesaurus words for "hand":
Adamite, John Hancock, X, abalienate, accessible, acclaim,
acclamation, accomplished fact, accomplishment, ace, achievement,
act, acta, action, administration, adventure, agency, aid, alien,
alienate, amortize, angle, appendage, applause, approaching, arm,
arrow, aspect, assign, assist, assistance, at hand, auspices,
authority, autograph, autography, bakehead, bank, barter, beam,
being, bequeath, best bower, big hand, black gang, blaze, blow,
blue-collar worker, body, boilerman, boost, border, bough, bower,
branch, breadwinner, broadside, buck, bungs, burst of applause,
cabin boy, calligraphy, cards, care, casual, casual laborer, cat,
cede, chap, character, charge, cheek, cheer, chips, chirography,
chop, christcross, cipher, circulate, clap, clapping,
clapping of hands, claws, close, close by, closely, clubs,
clutches, coast, come across with, comfort, command,
commissary steward, common laborer, compass needle, complement,
confer, connivingly, consign, control, convenient, convey,
countermark, countersign, countersignature, counterstamp, coup,
creature, cross, cure, custodianship, custody, customer,
day laborer, deal out, dealings, deck, deckhand, deckie, deed,
deed over, deliver, deliver over, demise, deuce, device,
devolve upon, diamonds, digits, direction, direction post,
disburse, dish out, dispense, disposal, disposition, disseminate,
distribute, doing, doings, dole out, domination, dominion, duck,
dummy, earthling, easily, eclat, effort, effortlessly, empery,
empire, employee, encore, endeavor, endorsement, enfeoff,
enterprise, exchange, exploit, face cards, facet, factory worker,
fait accompli, fangs, feat, feed, fellow, find, finger post,
fingernails, fingers, fireman, fist, flank, flush, fork over,
forward, free lance, free-lancer, full house, full-time worker,
gest, give, give in, give out, give over, give title to, give up,
go, governance, government, graphanalysis, graphology, graphometry,
grasp, grip, gripe, groundling, guardianship, guidance, guide,
guideboard, guidepost, gun loader, gunner, guy, hand, hand down,
hand in, hand in glove, hand in hand, hand on, hand out, hand over,
handclap, handclapping, handedness, handiwork, hands, hands down,
handwriting, handy, haunch, head, hearts, helm, help, helping hand,
hip, hold, homo, hooks, hospital steward, hour hand, human,
human being, imminent, imp, in cahoots, in collusion, in league,
index, index finger, indicator, individual, industrial worker,
influence, initials, intimately, involvement, iron hand, jack,
jaws, job, jobber, jobholder, joint, jointly, joker, jowl,
jurisdiction, keeping, king, knave, laborer, laboring man,
landing signalman, laterality, lead, left bower, leg, leg up, life,
lift, like mad, limb, link, living soul, lobe, lobule, lubber line,
mail orderly, make over, man, management, mandibles, maneuver,
manuscript, many-sidedness, mark, mark of signature, mastership,
mastery, maxillae, measure, meathooks, member, menial, mete out,
migrant, milepost, ministry, minute hand, mitts, moiler, monogram,
mortal, move, multilaterality, nails, navigator, navvy, near,
nearby, needle, negotiate, nippers, nose, offer, office temporary,
offshoot, oiler, on hand, one, operation, operative, organ,
ovation, oversight, overt act, pack, pair, paleography, palm, part,
participation, party, pass, pass on, pass out, pass over, passage,
pastorage, pastorate, pastorship, patronage, paw, pencraft,
penmanship, penscript, performance, person, personage, personality,
picture cards, pincers, pinion, planking, plaudit, playing cards,
pointer, popularity, possession, pounces, power, present,
present to, proceeding, production, proffer, profile, proletarian,
protectorship, provide, purser, quarter, queen, quickly,
radio operator, raj, ramification, rapidly, reach, readily,
regnancy, reign, reins of government, relief, render, res gestae,
resign, round, round of applause, roustabout, royal flush, rubber,
ruff, rule, runner, safe hands, salaried worker, scion, script,
scription, scrive, seal, self-employed person, sell, servant,
settle, settle on, share, shoot, shore, side, siding, sigil,
sign away, sign manual, sign over, signature, signboard, signet,
signpost, single, singleton, snip, snips, somebody, someone, soul,
sovereignty, spades, sparks, speedily, spray, sprig, spur,
steadily, step, steward, stewardess, stewardship, stiff, stoker,
straight, stroke, stunt, stylography, submit, subscription, succor,
supervision, supply, support, surrender, sway, swiftly, switch,
tail, talons, teeth, tellurian, temple, temporary, tender, tendril,
terran, thing, thing done, thunder of applause, to hand, together,
toiler, torpedoman, touch, tour de force, trade, transaction,
transfer, transmit, trey, trick, trump, turn, turn over, tutelage,
twig, undertaking, unguals, ungulae, unilaterality, visa, vise,
wage earner, wage slave, wageworker, ward, wardenship, wardship,
watch, watch and ward, will, wing, work, worker, workgirl,
workhand, working girl, workingman, workingwoman, workman, works,
worldling, yeoman, yield
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