barehanded

[ bair-han-did ]

adjective

1. with hands uncovered:

   He caught the baseball barehanded.

2. without tools, weapons, or other means:

   foolishly coming barehanded to the besieged city.

barehanded

/ ˌbɛəˈhændɪd /

adverb

1. without weapons, tools, etc
2. with hands uncovered

Word History and Origins

Origin of barehanded¹

First recorded in 1400–50, barehanded is from the late Middle English word bare-handyd. See bare ¹, handed

Example Sentences

Then he bounced a curve for an infield single against the shift, forcing Nolan Arenado to make a desperate barehanded attempt.

From Washington Post

The two birds who'd been hacking at one another with the remains of their shotguns had settled it barehanded, too.

From Project Gutenberg

But assuredly I never dreamt of him as fighting a lion barehanded in a Roman arena in defence of a Roman girl.

From Project Gutenberg

And there upon the sands beside the sea we fought, barehanded and weaponless.

From Project Gutenberg

He would have rushed blindly out on the rotten ice, barehanded and alone, had the others not halted him.

From Project Gutenberg

I went up there ready to beat the world barehanded, to work on the frontier, to build that colony, and maybe lead another one.

From Project Gutenberg