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

While Apple’s phones and computers can handle many AI tasks themselves, Siri AI’s capabilities require more computing horsepower than they can provide.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

“And there are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues, and I think it’s how you handle things.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

There he met another teenager who used the online handle UnknownHustler.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The process can handle mixed plastics, operates at comparatively low temperatures, and captures most of the carbon instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

“Papa,” I said as I stopped turning the handle on the blower, “do you believe that the wishes we made at the fairy ring will come true?”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Indeed, Vought and Paoletta are close allies—Vought executes the dubious budgetary procedures; Paoletta handles the legal arguments.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

One relatively simple upgrade is to invest in soft-close hinges and quality handles, experts advised.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

The agency responsible for publishing the Fed’s preferred measure, the price index of personal-consumption expenditures, plans to revamp how it handles three components.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Candi Carter, whose Cistus Media handles e-commerce for Tegna, said viewers have long been accustomed to seeing products touted inside of programming content, going back to the days of Oprah Winfrey’s “favorite things” segments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

Earl handles me significantly more gently once he’s closed the door.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Taken together, these biological signatures offer new clues about how the Shroud was handled, stored and moved between different geographic regions over time.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

"Half his life he has been doing this character. He's handled it very well."

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The organizations have handled over a thousand scam cases in the past year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Last year it handled 35% of volume in corporate bonds, down from 61% in 2020, with Tradeweb and an upstart rival, Trumid, seizing much of its lost market share, figures from Crisil Coalition Greenwich show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

For most of the trial, George Scoville handled his brother-in-law’s defense alone.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Tuesday's meeting was called after several EU members expressed concern over Spain's handling of the crisis, with Italy describing images from Ceuta as "shocking" and suspending its Schengen agreement with Spain.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

By examining genomic DNA embedded in the linen fibers, researchers produced the most detailed account yet of the biological material that accumulated on the cloth through centuries of handling and environmental exposure.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Romy Reiner, a 28-year-old actor and writer, sent her pitch a little high and outside, but her catcher, Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, had no trouble handling it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Von der Leyen commended Sanchez on the "swift handling" of the crisis that saw tens of thousands of people stream into Ceuta from Morocco -- almost all of whom have since left.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

In the Jefferson-Madison collaboration, Madison was not just responsible for handling the messy particulars; he was also accountable for shielding his chief from the political ambitions throbbing away in his own soul.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• administer
• conduct
• control
• discuss
• employ
• exercise
• govern
• operate
• play
• serve
• supervise
• take
• treat
• use
• utilize
• work