handy
1 Americanadjective
-
within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.
The aspirins are handy.
-
convenient or useful.
A digital thermometer is a handy thing to have at home.
-
skillful with the hands; deft; dexterous.
a handy person.
- Synonyms:
- versatile, all-around
-
easily maneuvered.
a handy ship.
- Synonyms:
- yare, wieldy, manageable
noun
adjective
-
conveniently or easily within reach
-
easy to manoeuvre, handle, or use
a handy tool
-
skilful with one's hands
noun
Related Words
See dexterous.
Other Word Forms
- handiness noun
Etymology
Origin of handy
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (in surnames); hand, -y 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As far as I know, there is no handy accounting of how many times his name was invoked in bits over the years; let’s call it a lot.
From Salon
“It’s a handy tool, but this tool can be challenging to manage,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times
Maybe something worth keeping handy for when people tell you nobody is interested in curling...
From BBC
Some folks might cite being hard-working or handy, but most people would likely circle around concepts of well-being and strong values.
From Salon
If there’s any financial topic where you need to keep some sort of handy guide on the shelf to answer questions, Medicare is that topic.
From MarketWatch
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.
