handle.
The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
Meaning & usage
The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
An instrument for effecting a purpose (either literally or figuratively); a tool, or an opportunity or pretext.
The gross amount of wagering within a given period of time or for a given event at one of more establishments.
The daily handle of a Las Vegas casino is typically millions of dollars.
The tactile qualities of a fabric, e.g., softness, firmness, elasticity, fineness, resilience, and other qualities perceived by touch.
A name or nickname, especially as an identifier over the radio or Internet.
A title attached to one's name, such as Doctor or Colonel.
The successful businessman was knighted and acquired a handle to his name.
A reference to an object or structure that can be stored in a variable.
This article describes how to find the module name from the window handle.
A traditional dimpled glass with a handle, for serving a pint of beer.
A 10 fluid ounce (285 mL) glass of beer.
A half-gallon (1.75-liter) bottle of alcohol.
A point, an extremity of land.
the Handle of the Sug in Newfoundland
A topological space homeomorphic to a ball but viewed as a product of two lower-dimensional balls.
The smooth, irreducible subcurve of a comb which connects to each of the other components in exactly one point.
A person's nose.
The amount wagered in the various pari-mutuel pools for a particular event or events.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English handel, handle, from Old English handle (“handle”), from Proto-West Germanic *handulā (“handle”). See verb below. Cognate with German Hantel (“dumbbell, barbell”), Danish handel (“handle”). Related to hand.
To touch; to feel or hold with the hand(s).
To accustom to the hand; to take care of with the hands.
To manage, use, or wield with the hands.
To manage, control, or direct.
To treat, to deal with (in a specified way).
she handled the news with grace
the Persians handled the French ambassador shamefully
To deal with (a subject, argument, topic, or theme) in speaking, in writing, or in art.
To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell.
a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock
To be concerned with; to be an expert in.
To put up with; to endure (and continue to function).
I can't handle this hot weather.
To use the hands.
To illegally touch the ball with the hand or arm; to commit handball.
To behave in a particular way when handled (managed, controlled, directed).
the car handles well
Where this word comes from
From Middle English handlen, from Old English handlian (“to handle, feel, deal with, discuss”), from Proto-West Germanic *handulōn, from Proto-Germanic *handulōną (“to take, grip, feel”), equivalent to hand + -le. Cognate with West Frisian handelje, hanneljen, hanljen (“to handle, treat”), Dutch handelen (“to handle, deal, act, negotiate”), German handeln (“to act, trade, negotiate, behave”), Swedish handla (“to buy, trade, deal”), Icelandic höndla (“to handle”).
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.