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handholding

American  
[hand-hohl-ding] / ˈhændˌhoʊl dɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of holding hands, especially as a sign or token of affection.

  2. constant reassurance and help, especially as an indication of one's interest or confidence.

    We do a lot of handholding with our clients.


Etymology

Origin of handholding

First recorded in 1905–10; hand + holding

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:

"We're not actually taking any of the information ourselves," he explained, adding "we're just kind of handholding and making sure that the police are getting all the information that is necessary."

From BBC Mar. 14, 2024

It does a fair amount of handholding to introduce you to different features, but it never feels intrusive.

From The Verge Sep. 1, 2022

The big question for both investors and company management: Can Palantir successfully transition from a business built on the costly handholding of government customers to serving corporate customers at scale?

From Washington Times Sep. 30, 2020

I wonder if the Goggles register the handholding as a “success.”

From Slate Jun. 27, 2020

"Because wouldn't it be better," I say, "if the handholding really just meant they were connected, and you didn't have to think about the other possibilities?"

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

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