handling

[ hand-ling ]

/ ˈhænd lɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR handling ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a touching, grasping, or using with the hands.

the manner of treating or dealing with something; management; treatment.

the manual or mechanical method or process by which something is moved, carried, transported, etc.

adjective

of or relating to the process of moving, transporting, delivering, working with, etc.: The factory added a 10 percent handling charge for delivery.

Nearby words

Origin of handling

before 1000; Middle English; Old English handlung (noun). See handle, -ing¹

handle

[ han-dl ]

/ ˈhæn dl /

noun

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

that which may be held, seized, grasped, or taken advantage of in effecting a purpose: The clue was a handle for solving the mystery.

Slang.

a person's name, especially the given name.
a person's alias, nickname, or code name.
a username, as on a social media website: What's your Twitter handle?
a name or term by which something is known, described, or explained.

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.

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.

hand(def 27).

Informal. a way of getting ahead or gaining an advantage: The manufacturer regards the new appliance as its handle on the Christmas market.

verb (used with object), han·dled, han·dling.

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

to manage, deal with, or be responsible for: My wife handles the household accounts. This computer handles all our billing.

to use or employ, especially in a particular manner; manipulate: to handle color expertly in painting.

to manage, direct, train, or control: to handle troops.

to deal with (a subject, theme, argument, etc.): The poem handled the problem of instinct versus intellect.

to deal with or treat in a particular way: to handle a person with tact.

to deal or trade in: to handle dry goods.

verb (used without object), han·dled, han·dling.

to behave or perform in a particular way when handled, directed, managed, etc.: The troops handled well. The jet was handling poorly.

Origin of handle

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

SYNONYMS FOR handle

14. sell, vend, carry, market; hawk, peddle.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR handle ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

han·dle·a·ble, adjectivehan·dle·a·bil·i·ty, nounhan·dle·less, adjectiveo·ver·han·dle, verb (used with object), o·ver·han·dled, o·ver·han·dling.

pre·han·dle, verb (used with object), pre·han·dled, pre·han·dling.re·han·dle, verb (used with object), re·han·dled, re·han·dling.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for handling

The Atlantic has reported extensively on the at least $600 million Amazon stands to be paid for handling CIA data.
How Amazon Became Santa’s Sweatshop|Sally Kohn|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In all honesty she may be handling it better, in terms of not letting it affect her as a person or screw up her life.
Jeopardy! Champion Julia Collins’s Brain Feels Like Mush|Sujay Kumar|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last year he was severely criticized for his handling of a land deal with a neighbor in financial distress.
What the Hell Happened in Vermont?!|Stuart Stevens|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The President made some initial errors in his handling of the Ebola crisis.
The GOP Senate: A New Utopia Dawns|P. J. O’Rourke|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

How do you feel the Michael Jackson estate is handling his music?
Quincy Jones Talks Chicago’s Mean Streets, Why Kanye West Is No Michael Jackson, and Bieber|Marlow Stern|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was often dryness in his handling, and something too much of the theatrical in his wrecks on rocky shores.
A Text-Book of the History of Painting|John C. Van Dyke
Even his handling of the supernatural, which was undoubtedly a strong point of his, was not wholly de ban aloi.
The English Novel|George Saintsbury
The Boston & Worcester devised the headlight, so that time might be saved by handling freight at night.
The Modern Railroad|Edward Hungerford
Always on horseback, always busy furbishing and handling weapons, I now steadily pursued an idea that was destined to be realized.
The Abbatial Crosier|Eugne Sue
Cases of rather doubtful authenticity are reported from time to time of injury from the handling of wild carrot.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 829, November 21, 1891|Various

British Dictionary definitions for handling

handling

/ (ˈhændlɪŋ) /

noun

the act or an instance of picking up, turning over, or touching something

treatment, as of a theme in literature

the process by which a commodity is packaged, transported, etc
(as modifier)handling charges

law the act of receiving property that one knows or believes to be stolen

handle

/ (ˈhændəl) /

noun

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

NZ a glass beer mug with a handle

slang a person's name or title

a CB radio slang name for call sign

an opportunity, reason, or excuse for doing somethinghis background served as a handle for their mockery

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

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

fly off the handle informal to become suddenly extremely angry

verb (mainly tr)

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

to operate or employ using the handsthe boy handled the reins well

to have power or control overmy wife handles my investments

to manage successfullya secretary must be able to handle clients

to discuss (a theme, subject, etc)

to deal with or treat in a specified wayI was handled with great tact

to trade or deal in (specified merchandise)

(intr) to react or respond in a specified way to operation or controlthe car handles well on bends

Derived Formshandleable, adjectivehandled, adjectivehandleless, adjective

Word Origin for handle

Old English; related to Old Saxon handlon (vb), Old High German hantilla towel

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

Word Origin and History for handling

handling

Old English handlung "action of touching or feeling," from handlian (see handle (v.)). Meaning "way in which something handles" (especially a motor vehicle) is from 1962.

handle

Old English handle, formed from hand (n.) with instrumental suffix -le indicating a tool in the way thimble was formed from thumb. The slang sense of "nickname" is first recorded 1870, originally U.S., from earlier expressions about adding a handle to (one's) name, i.e. a title such as Mister or Sir, attested from 1833. To fly off the handle (1833) is a figurative reference to an ax head (to be off the handle "be excited" is recorded from 1825, American English). To get a handle on "get control of" is first recorded 1972.

handle

Old English handlian "to touch or move with the hands," also "deal with, discuss;" see handle (n.). Akin to Old Norse höndla "to seize, capture," Danish handle "to trade, deal," German handeln "to bargain, trade." Related: Handled; handling. Meaning "to act towards (someone) in a certain manner" (usually with hostility or roughness) is from c.1200. The commercial sense was weaker in English than in some other Germanic languages, but it emerged in American English (1888) from the notion of something passing through one's hands, and cf. handler.

Idioms and Phrases with handling

handle

In addition to the idioms beginning with handle

handle to one's name
handle with gloves

also see:

fly off the handle
get a fix (handle) on

handling

noun

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of handling

handle

noun

verb (used with object), han·dled, han·dling.

verb (used without object), han·dled, han·dling.

Origin of handle

Examples from the Web for handling

handling

noun

handle

noun

verb (mainly tr)

Word Origin for handle

handling

handle

handle

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