Hand word meaning and 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] something written by hand; "she recognized his handwriting"; "his hand was illegible"
[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 card player in a game of bridge; "we need a 4th hand for bridge"
[noun] a member of the crew of a ship; "all hands on deck"
[noun] a hired laborer on a farm or ranch; "the hired hand fixed the railing"; "a ranch hand"
[noun] a unit of length equal to 4 inches; used in measuring horses; "the horse stood 20 hands"
[verb] place into the hands or custody of; "Turn the files over to me, please"; "He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers"

\Hand\, n. [AS. hand, hond; akin to D., G., & Sw. hand, OHG. hant, Dan. haand, Icel. h["o]nd, Goth. handus, and perh. to Goth. hinpan 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}. 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. 3. A measure equal to a hand's breadth, -- four inches; a palm. Chiefly used in measuring the height of horses. 4. Side; part; direction, either right or left. On this hand and that hand, were hangings. --Ex. xxxviii. 15. The Protestants were then on the winning hand. --Milton. 5. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity. He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator. --Addison. 6. Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance. To change the hand in carrying on the war. --Clarendon. Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand. --Judges vi. 36. 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. A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be hoped for. --Locke. I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile. --Hazlitt. 8. Handwriting; style of penmanship; as, a good, bad or running hand. Hence, a signature. I say she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention and his hand. --Shak. Some writs require a judge's hand. --Burril. 9. Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; -- usually in the plural. ``Receiving in hand one year's tribute.'' --Knolles. Albinus . . . found means to keep in his hands the goverment of Britain. --Milton. 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. 11. Rate; price. [Obs.] ``Business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch.'' --Bacon. 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. 13. (Firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim. 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. 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. {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.

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