deal a hand
To assign circumstances in life to someone.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Life dealt him a bad hand, but he stays positive.”
“She worked hard to succeed despite the difficult hand that life dealt her at birth.”
“Though fate had dealt him a challenging hand, he navigated his circumstances with remarkable grace and resilience throughout his long career.”
From the noun *hand*, signifying the cards held by a player. The idiom is derived from the mechanics of card games, in which the eventual outcome is determined by the specific distribution of cards dealt to each participant at the commencement of play.
- 01
a good deal
Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.
- 02
a great deal
Very much; to a great extent; a lot; lots.
- 03
back of one's hand
A display of disrespect or scorn.
- 04
bear a hand
To make haste; to help quickly.
- 05
big deal
Something very important or difficult; a matter of great concern; a considerable feat or achievement.
- 06
big hand
Synonym of minute hand (on a clock face).
- 07
bite someone's hand off
To enthusiastically accept an offer.
- 08
bite the hand that feeds one
To cause harm to a benefactor (especially one that one is dependent on, thus with the idea that this behaviour is self-damaging).
Last updated August 10, 2026