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Showing results for "handed"
  • past participle of hand.
  • past tense form of hand.
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  • handed
    handed
    adjective
    having or involving a hand or hands (usually used in combination).
  • -handed
    -handed
    adjective
    having a hand or hands as specified
Search instead for hande.

handed

American  
[han-did] / ˈhæn dɪd /

adjective

  1. having or involving a hand or hands (usually used in combination).

    two-handed backhand; a four-handed piano work.

  2. using a particular hand (usually used in combination).

    right-handed.

  3. having, requiring, or with the number of people, workers, or players indicated (usually used in combination).

    a three-handed game of poker.

  4. manned; staffed (usually used in combination).


-handed British  

adjective

  1. having a hand or hands as specified

    broad-handed

    a four-handed game of cards

  2. made as specified for either left- or right-hand operation or positioning

"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 handed

First recorded in 1520–30; hand + -ed 3

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:

"Back then a diagnosis of inflammatory triple negative breast cancer was like being handed a death sentence," Lynette said.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

Shipton's daughter Tracy Faram Shipton said her mother was "horrifically traumatised" and had filed an appeal, arguing the sentence handed to Harris last week was unduly lenient.

From BBC Jul. 27, 2026

A British funeral director faced prison Monday over a scandal that saw bodies left "stored on racks" and uncremated while relatives were handed other people's ashes, sparking calls for better regulation of the industry.

From Barron's Jul. 27, 2026

Authorities in May handed Futu a $271 million penalty for what they said was illegal facilitation of cross-border investments, part of a sweep of penalties against similar companies.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 27, 2026

Not saying a word, Grandpa ran his hand down in his pocket, pulled out the money I had given him, and handed it to me.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Like Hollman, he had won a reputation for open -handed charity, and was liked—and hated.

From The Call of the Cumberlands by Buck, Charles Neville

It was the good fellows, easy and genial, daring, and, on occasion, mad, that I wanted to know—the fellows, generous-hearted and -handed, and not rabbit-hearted.

From John Barleycorn by London, Jack

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