1. Flexible end part of the arm with palm, thumb and fingers, used for grasping and manipulating objects
   "he had the hands of a surgeon";
   - manus, mitt, paw [informal]
    
2. 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"
    
3. Ability or skill to perform something
   "he wanted to try his hand at singing"
    
4. Physical assistance
   "give me a hand with the chores";
   - helping hand
    
5. The cards held in a card game by a given player at any given time
   "he kept trying to see my hand"; "I didn't hold a good hand all evening";
   - deal
    
6. A rotating pointer on the face of a timepiece
   "the big hand counts the minutes"
    
7. The characteristic style used by a particular person when writing by hand
   "his hand was illegible";
   - handwriting, script, writing
    
8. A position given by its location to the side of an object
   "objections were voiced on every hand"
    
9. One of two sides of an issue
   "on the one hand … , but on the other hand …"
    
10. A hired labourer on a farm or ranch
    "the hired hand fixed the railing"; "a ranch hand";
    - hired hand
     
11. A member of the crew of a ship
    "all hands on deck"
     
12. A card player in a game of bridge
    "we need a 4th hand for bridge"; "The skilled bridge player carefully considered her hand before making a bid";
    - bridge player
     
13. A round of applause to signify approval
    "give the little lady a great big hand"
     
14. A unit of length equal to 4 inches; used in measuring horses
    "the horse stood 20 hands"

1. Place into the hands or custody of
   "hand me the spoon, please";
   - pass, reach, pass on, turn over, give
    
2. Guide, conduct or usher somewhere
   "hand the elderly lady into the taxi"

Derived forms: handed, handing, hands

See also: hand down, hand out

Type of: ability, accumulation, aggregation, aid, applause, assemblage, assist, assistance, card player, clapping, collection, conduct, direct, extremity, forepaw, guide, hand clapping, handbreadth, handsbreadth, help, jack, laborer [US], labourer [Brit, Cdn], lead, manual laborer [US], manual labourer [Brit, Cdn], pointer, power, sailor, side, take, transfer, writing

Part of: arm, homo, horologe [archaic], human, human being, man, timekeeper, timepiece

Encyclopedia: Hand, Robert