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hand

Pronunciation: /hænd/

The English word “hand” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in humans and other primates, and the corresponding part in many other animals.
  2. A limb of certain animals, such as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
  3. An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour and minute hands on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day.
  4. The set of cards held by a player.
  5. A round of a card game.
  6. A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
  7. A bunch of bananas, a typical retail amount, where individual fruits are fingers.
  8. Four inches, a hand's breadth.
  9. Three inches.
  10. A side; part, camp; direction, either right or left.
  11. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity.
  12. An agent; a servant, or manual laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty.
  13. A performer more or less skilful.
  14. An instance of helping.
  15. Handwriting; style of penmanship.
  16. A person's autograph or signature.
  17. Promise, word; especially of a betrothal.
  18. Personal possession; ownership.
  19. Management, domain, control.
  20. A hand which is free to assist; especially due to having one's hands full or otherwise fully preoccupied.

Etymology

From Middle English hond, hand, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. See also Dutch and Swedish hand (“hand”), Danish hånd, German Hand, West Frisian hân. Perhaps compare Old Swedish hinna (“to gain”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰-𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽 (fra-hinþan, “to take captive, capture”); and Latvian sīts (“hunting spear”), Ancient Greek κεντέω (kentéō, “prick”), Albanian…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.