Definition of a-hand in English English dictionary
- Alaska hand
- A king and a three as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em (see king crab)
- Buddha's hand
- A fragrant citrus fruit with a lemon-like flavor, native to northern India
- China Hand
- Someone particularly knowledgeable about the language, culture and people of China
- Dutch hand
- A butter pat, being a wooden paddle used to press butter when making it at home. Usually two are used and hence usually in the plural hands
1977: Ranged on shelves along the stone walls would be pans of milk set to rise, buckets and cans, maturing cheeses, butter churns, and butter pats or Dutch hands for beating the last traces of water from the golden mass. — Richard Daunton-Fear and Penelope Vigar, Australian Colonial Cookery, Rigby, 1977, ISBN 0-7270-0187-6 (discussing a typical kitchen of early colonial Australia).
- HAND
- have a nice day
- Hand of Fatima
- an apotropaic symbol, in both Jewish and Islamic society, serving as a talisman against the "evil eye"
- Hand of God
- Famous goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup by Maradona
- Hand of Miriam
- alternative name for the Hand of Fatima
- a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- It is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than a mere potential of a greater one
- at hand
- Being at the moment the center of attention or the cause of trouble
The problem at hand is not the inability of the Arabs and the Jews to live together peacefully.
- at hand
- Near; soon; approaching; imminent
He felt it, as did the other dogs, and knew that a change was at hand.
- at hand
- Readily available; within easy reach; nearby
I don't have the information at hand, but I can look it up.
- at the hand of
- Alternative form of at the hands of
- ball in hand
- In billiards, a circumstance in which a fault by another player, such as a scratch, permits the competitor to take the cue ball in hand and place it anywhere behind the baulk line
- balls in hand
- plural form of ball in hand
- bare hand
- an ungloved hand
- bare hand
- when a fielder fields the ball without his glove in his hand
Jones bare hands the bunt and throws to first ... out!.
- bear a hand
- to make haste; to help quickly (used mostly in the imperative)
- bear-a-hand
- make haste!
- beer hand
- A seven and two as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em
- bird in the hand
- Shortened form of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"
- bite the hand that feeds one
- To cause harm to a benefactor
And the reality is, for all the talk about lobbying reform, Congress has never been known to bite the hand that feeds it.
- bottom hand
- With a standard batting grip, the hand placed further down the handle of the bat; the batsman's dominant hand, providing most power to a shot
- by hand
- Manually; without the use of automation or machines
The computers went down and they had to do all the bookkeeping by hand that day.
- by one's own hand
- As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide
He gained all his wealth by his own hand.
- cap in hand
- In a humble and respectful manner
No longer were we required to go cap in hand to the banks if we wanted money, they were coming to us.
- cash in hand
- In a manner receiving direct payment by cash, often without paying tax
I heard he's working at that restaurant cash in hand to pay the bills.
- cash in hand
- Direct payment by cash, as opposed to through a bank
This cash in hand will come in handy as spending money on my trip to Asia.
- cash in hand
- Receiving wages or salary directly in the form of cash, often without deducting tax
Many high school students get cash in hand jobs for extra pocket money.
- caught with one's hand in the cookie jar
- Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money
Frankenmanto was, in fact, a certified kleptomaniac who had to carry a doctor’s letter on her to explain the embarrassing little moments when she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
- change hand
- To turn a horse around; especially, when exercising in a circle, to cross the center and resume circling in the other direction
- charge hand
- deputy to a foreman in a factory
- come to hand
- To perform well, to come under control
The horse came to hand, and won first prize.
- come to hand
- To become available, often unexpectedly, or randomly
Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.
- dab hand
- An expert
She is a dab hand in the kitchen.
- dead man's hand
- Other various hands, among them a full house of three jacks and two tens
- dead man's hand
- A pair of aces and a pair of eights, in a player's hand
- dead man's hand
- An ace and an eight as a starting hand in Texas hold 'em
- devil's hand
- three of a kind sixes
- drawing hand
- A poker hand which requires some specific cards on later rounds in order to become a strong hand
John only had four cards of the same suit; he had a drawing hand.
- eat from someone's hand
- Alternative form of eat out of someone's hand
- eat out of someone's hand
- To behave in a docile, submissive way towards somebody
Violetta is well aware of all this and goes out of her way to charm him. . . . He eats out of her hand and would not notice is she fed him rocks.
- eye-hand coordination
- Alternative form of hand-eye coordination
Sorry, but I just don't think you have the eye-hand coordination to be a juggler in this circus.
- field hand
- An outdoor worker on a farm, plantation, or ranch
A good weekly wage for a field hand on a banana plantation is $3.
- force someone's hand
- Bring about a situation which necessitates an agent to act, often causing a plan to be executed prematurely
- four-in-hand
- A carriage drawn by four such horses; a coach-and-four
- four-in-hand
- A slipknot with one end hanging in front of the other; a simple necktie
- four-in-hand
- A team of four horses, controlled by a single driver
- free hand
- free rein
- give somebody a hand
- To applaud or clap (also to give (someone) a big hand)
Please give all our dedicated volunteers a hand for their hard work.
- give somebody a hand
- To help, aid, or assist
Could you please give me a hand carrying this mattress?.
- glad hand
- A warm welcome offered a guest by a host
The young men who will get the corporate glad hand are some of the most sought after graduates of the class of '64.
- glad-hand
- To be overly friendly with a stranger in order to gain an advantage
Not in many a moon had he glad-handed so many people. . . . The President, in fact, behaved noticeably like a candidate for reelection.
- glad-hand
- To extend a glad hand (to someone)
- go hand in hand
- Of two things, to be closely related or to go together well; see hand in hand
- go hand in hand
- Of two people, to hold hands
And now let's go hand in hand, not one before the other.
- goes hand in hand
- Third-person singular simple present indicative form of go hand in hand
- going hand in hand
- Present participle of go hand in hand
- gone hand in hand
- Past participle of go hand in hand
- hand
- The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim
- hand
- Rate; price
- hand
- Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity
- hand
- To be overfamiliar, to invade a woman's personal space, usually described for a man
- hand
- An agent; a servant, or manual laborer, especially in compounds; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty; a performer more or less skillful; as
an old hand at speaking.
- hand
- Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance
Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand.
- hand
- To give, pass, or transmit with the hand
he handed them the letter.
- hand
- To manage
- hand
- Applause
Give him a hand.
- hand
- A person's signature
Given under my Hand and Seal of the State this 1st Day of January, 2010.
- hand
- Handwriting; style of penmanship
a good hand.
- hand
- To cooperate
- hand
- An instance of helping
Bob gave Alice a hand to move the furniture.
- hand
- Each of the pointers on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day
- hand
- To seize; to lay hands on
- hand
- The feel of a fabric; the impression or quality of the fabric as judged qualitatively by the sense of touch
This fabric has a smooth, soft hand'.
- hand
- Agency in transmission from one person to another
to buy at second hand (when no longer in the producer’s hand, or when not new).
- hand
- In long measure, two different lengths:
Four inches, a hand’s breadth, used in measuring the height of horses.
- hand
- To pledge by the hand; to handfast
- hand
- The collective noun for a bunch of bananas
- hand
- A side; part, camp; direction, either right or left
On this hand and that hand, were hangings.
- hand
- The part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals
- hand
- Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; — usually in the plural
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us.
- hand
- To furl
- hand
- That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once
tobacco manufacturing A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
- hand
- To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct
to hand a lady into a carriage.
- hand
- That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand; as
An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour or minute hand of a clock.
- hand and foot
- A card game, similar to canasta, using two packs of cards
- hand balls
- plural form of hand ball
- hand bills
- plural form of hand bill
- hand brakes
- plural form of hand brake
- hand down
- To donate (as second hand.)
When my older brother grows out of his clothes, he hands them down to me, which later in turn I hand down to my little brother, if they're not ripped apart by then. We fall over a lot, this family of ours. And grow fast. Either way, my little brother ends up with tonnes of third-hand scruffy clothes. Maybe that's why he gets picked on so much.
- hand down
- To transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor
Fables are handed down from age to age.
- hand down
- To forward to the proper officer (the decision of a higher court)
The Clerk of the Court of Appeals handed down its decision.
- hand dryer
- An electric device in a restroom to dry hands
- hand grenade
- A small hand-held explosive device designed to be thrown at the enemy
- hand grenades
- plural form of hand grenade
- hand in
- To give something to a responsible person
I found a wallet on the street, so I handed it in to the police.
- hand in glove
- In very close cooperation
The vendors were working hand in glove with our people.
- hand in hand
- Naturally, ordinarily or predictably together; commonly having a correlation or relationship
The tendency to follow trends and explore one's sense of self goes hand in hand with being a teenager.
- hand in hand
- Holding or clasping hands
The couple strolled down the sidewalk, hand in hand.
- hand it to somebody
- To give somebody credit or praise
You have to hand it to him for finishing such a big project so quickly.
- hand jive
- A dance associated with the rock and roll and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s, comprising a complicated pattern of hand moves and claps at various parts of the body, following or imitating the percussion instruments
- hand job
- An act of masturbation performed by someone else's hand
1968:I tried it once and she knows it ... I was screwing one night and she lay like a log and I said I could do better jerking off ... a hand job, — Casebook of a Crime Psychiatrist, pp. 179, James Arnold Brussel, Bernard Geis Associates (distributed by Grove Press).
- hand log
- A chip log
- hand net
- A small net that is equipped with a handle and attached to a rim so that the net forms a pouch. This kind of net is used, eg, for trapping butterflies or individual fish
- hand off
- To pass or transfer something to someone
Before we hand off the project to him, let's make sure to write some instructions.
- hand out
- an 1800s baseball term meaning a player is out
- hand out
- to distribute (something)
- hand over
- To relinquish control or possession of something to someone
I handed over the controls to the copilot.
- hand over fist
- Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.''
He didn't earn much, but the company seemed to rake in money hand over fist.
- hand pay
- When a slot attendant or cage gives the player a cash payout, rather than the actual slot machine paying out from the printer with ticket voucher or coin hopper
- hand pie
- (Southern) A semilunar-shaped pastry with either a sweet or savory filling, formed by placing a dollop of filling onto a circular piece of biscuit-style dough and then folding it over and crimping it shut. They may be baked, fried or deep-fried. A pasty
Hostess® fruit pies are sweet hand pies.
- hand press
- A printing press operated by hand
- hand presses
- plural form of hand press
- hand puppet
- A puppet operated by the hand, especially one in which the puppeteer's hand occupies and controls the head
- hand saws
- plural form of hand saw
- hand shandy
- An act of masturbation
- hand someone his head
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- hand tab
- A method of spot applying asphalt-based adhesive to shingles for securement and wind resistance
- hand tool
- A tool powered by human muscle rather than a motor or engine
- hand tools
- plural form of hand tool
- hand towel
- a small towel used for drying the hands or face
- hand truck
- An L-shaped box-moving handcart with handles at one end, wheels at the base, with a small ledge to set objects on, flat against the floor when the hand-truck is upright. It makes otherwise bulky and heavy objects easier to move
- hand trucks
- plural form of hand truck
- hand trunk
- A relatively small piece of hard-sided luggage with hinges and latches
- hand trunks
- plural form of hand trunk
- hand waving
- Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the attempt to explain or excuse vagaries
The sales pitch sounded good, but there was a lot of hand waving about the price.
- hand wringing
- The repeated clasping or squeezing of the hands as a symptom of distress
Whisperings filled the corridors with unearthly sounds — the hand-wringing and breast-beating of the elder sisters — the sighs and sobs of the younger.
- hand wringing
- A feigned exhibition of distress, usually with implied inaction or vacillating in the face of a dilemma or crisis
As noted, the confusion and hand wringing about who should do what mostly flows from a failure to clearly think through what an epidemic is and what will be demanded in response.
- hand wringings
- plural form of hand wringing
- hand-egg
- A humorous term for the game of American football, or for football codes other than association football
- hand-egg
- The elongated ball used in such games
- hand-eye coordination
- The total amount of coordination a person has between their eyes and their hands; a person's dexterity in activities highly dependent upon sight, such as catching a ball
Sorry, but I just don't think you have the hand-eye coordination needed to be a juggler in this circus.
- hand-held
- small and light enough to be operated while you hold it in your hands
- hand-held
- a personal digital assistant
- hand-hole
- : A small hole in a boiler for the insertion of the hand in cleaning, etc
- hand-in-glove
- Closely cooperative
- hand-in-glove
- Alternative spelling of hand in glove
- hand-in-hand
- Alternative spelling of hand in hand
- hand-me-down
- An item that is passed along for someone else to use; especially, a piece of clothing or other item which has been outgrown by a older sibling and passed down to a younger one
- hand-off
- A pass made in a backward direction
- hand-off
- The transfer of the radar identification of an aircraft from one controller to another when the aircraft enters the receiving controller's airspace and radio communications with the aircraft are transferred
- hand-picked
- specially selected because of their individual characteristics or talents
- hand-picked
- picked by hand rather than by machinery
- hand-puppet
- Attributive form of hand puppet
hand-puppet creator.
- hand-spring
- A variant spelling of handspring
- hand-tight
- As tight as can be made by the strength of one's hand wielding a standard tool: that is, without special equipment or leverage
- hand-to-hand
- Close together, within arm's reach
- hand-to-hand
- Especially, fighting done within reach rather than at range. May or may not indicate unarmed combat
- hand-to-mouth
- having barely enough to survive, being close to poverty
She has been a widow these six or eight years, and has lived, I imagine, in rather a hand-to-mouth fashion.
- hand-waving
- Alternative spelling of hand waving
- hand-work
- variant of handiwork
- hand-wringing
- Alternative spelling of hand wringing
- hat in hand
- With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion
He came back the next day, hat in hand, to correct the problem he left behind.
- have one's hand out
- To be requesting benefits, especially if not entitled to them
Whenever there was an appropriations bill, he always had his hand out for his guys.
- helping hand
- Any assistance, help or aid
Thanks for lending a helping hand to the project.
- hold somebody's hand
- To grasp or hold a person's hand
- hold somebody's hand
- To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details
I'll give you advice on writing an article, but I won't hold your hand through the entire process.
- hour hand
- The hand of a clock or watch face that revolves twice each day and indicates the hours
- in hand
- Forthcoming
- in hand
- In the physical possession of the owner
- in hand
- under control
- in hand
- Under consideration
- invisible hand
- A metaphor for the principle that in a free market, an individual pursuing his own self-interest also tends to promote the good of his community as a whole
In short, Smith understood that the invisible hand is often benign, but not always.
- iron hand
- Firmess, inflexibility, sternness
Reverend Harris ran Clerkebury with an iron hand and an abiding sense of fairness.
- know like the back of one's hand
- To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place
He knows the software like the back of his hand, and can often solve problems over the phone, without looking.
- left-hand
- of, relating to, or located on the left
- left-hand
- designed for use by the left hand
- left-hand drive
- Describes a motor vehicle with the steering wheel on the left-hand side, designed for use in countries such as USA and France where cars normally drive on the right
- left-hand path
- A path through life that values the advancement and preservation of the self and the pursuit of terrestrial goals, rather than the worship of intangible deities
- lend a hand
- To help or assist, especially voluntarily
If we all lend a hand the work will go quickly.
- lend a helping hand
- Assist or facilitate (in some endeavour)
- lending a hand
- Present participle of lend a hand
- lending hand
- A helping hand
- lends a hand
- Third-person singular simple present indicative form of lend a hand
- lent a hand
- Simple past tense and past participle of lend a hand
- made hand
- A poker hand which is already a strong hand regardless of which cards come in later rounds
John already had two pair, aces and threes; he had a made hand.
- minute hand
- The hand of a clock or watch face that revolves once each hour and indicates the minutes
- old hand
- A person who is experienced at a certain activity
My tax advisor is an old hand at dealing with auditors.
- on hand
- Available; ready; in stock
If you have cornstarch on hand, use it; otherwise, try a little flour.
- on one hand
- Alternative form of on the one hand
- on the one hand
- From one point of view
On the one hand, it was quite a good bargain, but, on the other hand, do we really need one?.
- on the other hand
- From another point of view
Well yes, it was quite a good bargain; on the other hand, do we really need one?.
- on-hand
- Alternative spelling of on hand
- one can't hold two watermelons in one hand
- do not attempt to take on more than you can handle
- out of hand
- Without thought or consideration
He dismissed the idea out of hand.
- out of hand
- Not under control
Clean things as you go so that the mess does not get out of hand.
- out of hand
- Immediately
He bad to open wyde his brazen gate, / Which long time had bene shut, and out of hond / Proclaymed ioy and peace through all his state .
- raise a hand
- To raise one's arm and hand
- raise a hand
- To volunteer
- raise one's hand
- To dare to question
- raise one's hand
- To volunteer
- right-hand
- of, relating to, or located on the right
- right-hand
- designed for use by the right hand
- right-hand drive
- Describes a motor vehicle with the steering wheel on the right-hand side, designed for use in countries such as UK and Japan where cars normally drive on the left
- right-hand men
- plural form of right-hand man
- right-hand path
- A path through life that focuses on deities or divinity rather than the terrestrial
- right-hand women
- plural form of right-hand woman
- second hand
- Alternative form of secondhand
- second hand
- On a clock or watch, the hand or pointer that shows the number of seconds that have passed
- second-hand smoke
- The smoke from cigarettes, especially in an enclosed environment, that any person including non-smokers could breathe in
- second-hand speech
- conversation overheard from someone talking on a mobile phone
- slap on the hand
- Alternative form of slap on the wrist
- sleight of hand
- The required digital dexterity behind magic tricks and illusions
- sleights of hand
- plural form of sleight of hand
- slight of hand
- Common misspelling of sleight of hand
- sword hand
- The hand in which one's sword is normally held
- talk to the hand
- Used to dismiss another person's argument by indicating that the speaker (or writer) is not prepared to hear (or read) anything further that the other person has to say (or write)
Girl, you can talk to the hand 'cause I ain't listenin' no more.
- the upper hand
- an advantage or lead
I hope the Lions get the upper hand on the Bears this season.
- third hand
- Not new, having more than one previous owner
- tip one's hand
- In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand
- tip one's hand
- To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage
In a nearly 13-minute address, he did not tip his hand about what he might do next.
- to hand
- Readily available; within easy reach; nearby
Make sure you have a pen and paper to hand when you call.
- top hand
- The batsman's hand that is further up the handle; used for control rather than power
- try one's hand
- to attempt a skill, craft, or trade possibly for the first time
I thought I'd try my hand at woodworking, until I saw how much the tools cost.
- wait on hand and foot
- To attend to (someone's) every need, to the point of excess
Did you see how she waits on him hand and foot? It's not healthy.
- wait on hand, foot and finger
- Alternative form of wait on hand and foot
- wait on someone hand, foot and finger
- Alternative form of wait on hand and foot
- wait on someone hand, foot, and finger
- Alternative form of wait on hand and foot
- wait upon hand and foot
- Alternative form of wait on hand and foot
