handy
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English handy, hondi (attested in personal names), alteration of earlier hendi (“handy, skillful”), from Old English hendiġ (“skillful”) (as in listhendiġ (“skilled in art”)), from Proto-Germanic *handugaz (“handy, skillful, nimble”), from *handuz (“hand”), equivalent to hand + -y. Cognate with Middle Low German handich (“skillful, apt”), Middle High German handec, hendec (“manual, hand-held”), Old Norse hǫndugr (“efficient”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐌲𐍃 (handugs, “wise, clever”). Akin to Dutch handig (“handy”), Norwegian hendig (“handy”), Swedish händig (“handy”).
Pronunciation
- enPR: hăn'di, IPA(key): /ˈhæn.di/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ændi
Adjective
handy (comparative handier, superlative handiest)
- Easy to use, useful.
- Some people regard duct tape as a handy fix-all.
- Nearby, within reach.
- Synonym: at hand
- You wouldn’t have a screwdriver handy, would you?
- I keep a first-aid kit handy in case of emergency.
- Of a person: dexterous, skilful.
- Synonym: crafty
- She's very handy: she made all her own kitchen cupboards.
- (slang) Physically violent; tending to use one's fists.
- 1974, William Purcell, British Police in a Changing Society (page 68)
- We had a sergeant who was a bit handy with the rougher elements. He dealt with them a little bit differently to what I do.
- 2012, Tania Carver, Choked
- The Sloanes said he had nothing on them, that he threatened them, made up a lot of lies. Tried to attack them, got a bit handy.
- 1974, William Purcell, British Police in a Changing Society (page 68)
- Of a freight ship: having a small cargo capacity (less than 40,000 DWT); belonging to the handysize class.
Translations
easy to use
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within reach
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dexterous
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked
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References
Translations
hand job — see hand job
Scots
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