handle

American  

[han-dl] / ˈhæn dl /

noun

• handles
  plural

1. a part of a thing made specifically to be grasped or held by the hand.

2. that which may be held, seized, grasped, or taken advantage of in effecting a purpose.

   The clue was a handle for solving the mystery.

3. Slang.

   1. a person's name, especially the given name.

   2. a person's alias, nickname, or code name.

   3. a username, as on a social media website.

      What's your Twitter handle?

   4. a name or term by which something is known, described, or explained.

4. the total amount wagered on an event, series of events, or for an entire season or seasons, as at a gambling casino or in horse racing.

   The track handle for the day was over a million dollars.

5. the total amount of money taken in by a business concern on one transaction, sale, event, or series of transactions, or during a specific period, especially by a theater, nightclub, sports arena, resort hotel, or the like.

6. hand.

7. Informal. a way of getting ahead or gaining an advantage.

   The manufacturer regards the new appliance as its handle on the Christmas market.

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verb (used with object)

• handles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• handled,
  past participle,  past
• handling
  present participle

1. to touch, pick up, carry, or feel with the hand or hands; use the hands on; take hold of.

2. to manage, deal with, or be responsible for.

   My wife handles the household accounts.

   This computer handles all our billing.

3. to use or employ, especially in a particular manner; manipulate.

   to handle color expertly in painting.

4. to manage, direct, train, or control.

   to handle troops.

5. to deal with (a subject, theme, argument, etc.).

   The poem handled the problem of instinct versus intellect.

6. to deal with or treat in a particular way.

   to handle a person with tact.

7. to deal or trade in.

   to handle dry goods.

   Synonyms:

   peddle, hawk, market, carry, vend, sell

verb (used without object)

• handles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• handled,
  past participle,  past
• handling
  present participle

1. to behave or perform in a particular way when handled, directed, managed, etc..

   The troops handled well.

   The jet was handling poorly.

idioms

1. get / have a handle on, to acquire an understanding or knowledge of.

   Can you get a handle on what your new boss expects?

2. fly off the handle, to become very agitated or angry, especially without warning or adequate reason.

   I can't imagine why he flew off the handle like that.

handle British  

/ ˈhændəl /

noun

1. the part of a utensil, drawer, etc, designed to be held in order to move, use, or pick up the object

2. a glass beer mug with a handle

3. slang a person's name or title

4. a CB radio slang name for call sign

5. an opportunity, reason, or excuse for doing something

   his background served as a handle for their mockery

6. the quality, as of textiles, perceived by touching or feeling

7. the total amount of a bet on a horse race or similar event

8. informal to become suddenly extremely angry

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verb

1. to pick up and hold, move, or touch with the hands

2. to operate or employ using the hands

   the boy handled the reins well

3. to have power or control over

   my wife handles my investments

4. to manage successfully

   a secretary must be able to handle clients

5. to discuss (a theme, subject, etc)

6. to deal with or treat in a specified way

   I was handled with great tact

7. to trade or deal in (specified merchandise)

8. (intr) to react or respond in a specified way to operation or control

   the car handles well on bends

handle More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing handle

• fly off the handle
• get a fix (handle) on

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• handleability
  noun
• overhandle
  verb (used with object)
• prehandle
  verb (used with object)
• rehandle
  verb (used with object)
• handleable
  adjective
• handled
  adjective
• handleless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• handles
  plural

Participles

• handling
  present
• handled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• handle
  simple
• handles
  simple
• have handled
  perfect
• has handled
  perfect
• am handling
  progressive
• are handling
  progressive
• is handling
  progressive
• have been handling
  perfect progressive
• has been handling
  perfect progressive

Past

• handled
  simple
• had handled
  perfect
• was handling
  progressive
• were handling
  progressive
• had been handling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will handle
  simple
• will have handled
  perfect
• will be handling
  progressive
• will have been handling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of handle

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English handel, Old English hand(e)le, derivative of hand ; (verb) Middle English handelen, Old English handlian (cognate with German handlen, Old Norse hǫndla “to seize”), derivative of the noun

Explanation

To handle something is to control it, the way an elephant handler might handle an elephant, or the way you would use a handle to lift a suitcase. If you're panicking, a friend might suggest you "get a handle on yourself." How to get a handle on the word handle? Start with the thumb. Much like the word “thimble” is derived from “thumb,” “handle” essentially refers to an object held "in hand," or placed under your control. Handle can also have a more abstract meaning, such as understanding or grasping a concept. You should be able to handle geometry before you start trig, right? A handle is also slang for a nickname. "What's your handle?" is another way of saying "What's your name?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

handle handles handled handling

What is your risk tolerance versus risk capacity — the former being the risk you’re comfortable with versus the latter, which is how much risk your portfolio can handle without disrupting your financial goals?

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026

“They basically say, you wanna handle this in-house before you go to the police because our threshold’s lower and it’s gonna be nicer for you,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

H100 is a somewhat newer chip released in 2022 that is optimized to handle large language models creating text, computer code, images, video and audio.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

No one truly disputes the importance of due process to handle accusations of sexual violence.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

“I know you well enough to know how you handle stress—you go see Grace. I’m sorry your birthday has been so stressful.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Stars like CM Punk and Ray Fenix have complained loudly about the way the promotion handles wrestler health.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

While Sidhu is in Milwaukee, Greer's counterpart in US-Canada trade talks is Dominic LeBlanc, who handles trade ties between both countries.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

He now is stationed in the Torrance branch, where he handles serious felonies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The US handles security within the base; the UK is responsible all threats outside the perimeter.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

The metal grilles curved up and down like mouths, and an extra set of handles slanted like eyebrows.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

There has been criticism of the way Gabriel's future has been handled, largely due to United's track record in bringing young players though and giving them a chance.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

In the first six months of this year, Lamu port handled double the cargo volumes it did in all of 2025, according to manager Abdulaziz Mzee.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

“This incident was handled through established student discipline processes,” Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

At Nepal's two forensic laboratories, both in Kathmandu, experts are working to profile samples and build a database on a scale they have never handled before.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Even newspapers that opposed female suffrage condemned the way Judge Hunt handled the case.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

After Mayor Karen Bass appointed Jaime Moore to lead the LAFD, Moore committed to an outside probe into the department’s handling of the Lachman fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Speakers repeatedly attacked the college administrators for their handling of the case that has garnered nationwide attention.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Paradoxically, trying to solve a mathematical problem with the aid of computers often turned out to be a lot more work than handling it the traditional way.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

“We have parted ways with three individuals for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information,” said an OpenAI spokesperson in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

She especially hated handling Henry’s underthings, marked as they were with his sweat and smells.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Related Words

• administer
• conduct
• control
• discuss
• employ
• exercise
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• serve
• supervise
• take
• treat
• use
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• work