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View synonyms for handshake

handshake

[ hand-sheyk ]

noun

  1. a gripping and shaking of right hands by two individuals, such as to symbolize greeting, congratulation, agreement, or farewell:

    It was a verbal contract, sealed with a firm handshake.

  2. Also handshaking. Computers. an exchange of predetermined signals between networked or linked devices that is made when a connection is initially established or at intervals during data transmission in order to assure proper synchronization (also used attributively):

    A successful handshake is required between the server and client before the application will launch.

    Two handshake signals are exchanged between the computer and the printer—one from each device.



handshake

/ ˈhændˌʃeɪk /

noun

  1. the act of grasping and shaking a person's hand, as when being introduced or agreeing on a deal
“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


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Word History and Origins

Origin of handshake1

First recorded in 1870–75; hand + shake
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Idioms and Phrases

see golden handshake .
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Example Sentences

An email newsletter is a great digital handshake between a consumer and a publisher….

From Digiday

Butler and Wise still perform a handshake that ends with them pretending to shoot a Kamehameha wave at each other.

Their value is a product of digital handshakes over millions of transactions firming up that consensus.

I was warned by other midshipmen that I would fail on the spot if I initiated a handshake.

It is the shop clerk’s smile, the salesman’s hearty handshake, because the audience now is a customer base, and the customer is always right.

She tried the direct, how-do-you-do handshake approach, but was blocked by a burly aide-de-camp.

George offers a firm handshake and stays present with each fan for the moment or two that they have his attention.

Forget matters strategic, you may say; banish from your head all thoughts of a military or security handshake.

“Get your act together,” we said real manfully like, eye to eye, with a firm handshake.

Case in point: the TV deals they had completed for the two previous seasons had been done via handshake.

He stretched out a hand in silence and gave me a hearty handshake; and I shook the reins and thundered up the road to Staunton.

They exchanged the hearty, lingering handshake of trusty friendship and deep affection.

As far as sentiments go, the cable is by chalks the heartiest handshake we poor relations to the West have had since we started.

They have a nodding-from-a-motor-acquaintance with it but I like a real handshake-friendship with it.

There was nothing of genuine American heartiness in the handshake he gave Frank.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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