handbreadth

American

[hand-bredth, -bretth] / ˈhændˌbrɛdθ, -ˌbrɛtθ /

Also hand'sbreadth

noun

a unit of linear measure from 2½ to 4 inches (6.4 to 10 centimeters).

handbreadth British

/ ˈhændˌbrɛtθ, -ˌbrɛdθ /

noun

the width of a hand used as an indication of length

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of handbreadth

First recorded in 1525–35; hand + breadth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

handbreadth

Is it that His 'years are throughout all generations,' and 'my days are as an handbreadth'?

From Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. John by Alexander Maclaren

Also the trunk, snout, or proboscis of the elephant is armed with a sword fastened to it, two cubits long, very strong, and a handbreadth in width.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 07 by Robert Kerr

Behold, my days are as a handbreadth before Thee, and my life as nothing in Thy sight.

From Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week Together With Confessional, Communion, and Other Prayers and Hymns for Mornings and Evenings, and Other Occasions by John Habermann

The Good God protect and bless you——I will find an opportunity to add a handbreadth of flounces to the bottom.

From The Awakening of Spring A Tragedy of Childhood by Frank Wedekind

There is also a "long" cubit that is longer than a regular cubit by a handbreadth.

From The World English Bible (WEB): by Anonymous

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023