handsy

[hand-zee]

adjective

Informal.

1. tending to touch people with the hands, especially in an inappropriate or sexual way.

   She saw that he was getting handsy with some of the female guests.

2. (in golf, baseball, etc.) characterized by excessive hand and wrist movement.

   a handsy swing.

Other Word Forms

• handsiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of handsy¹

First recorded in 1960–65; either hands ( def. ) + -y ¹ ( def. ), or hand ( def. ) + -sy ( def. )

Example Sentences

The Welsh actress, 48, best known for playing Stacey Shipman in the hit TV series, revealed she had been warned he was "very handsy" before he then groped her during filming.

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She recalled how a producer once warned her the presenter could be "very handsy with the women", saying it was "just him" and not to worry.

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The actress said a female producer told her he could be "very handsy" and is "probably going to start touching you".

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But there are plenty of others around the penthouse restaurant they’ve chosen for this outing: A shifty couple on a blind date, an overly sweet bartender, a handsy piano player and a skulking man who’s “waiting for his sister.”

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"I went downstairs to have a bit of a dance. Then he got a bit 'handsy' and a bit too close."

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