# deal a hand

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/deal-a-hand
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To assign circumstances in life to someone.

## Examples

- 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.

## Origin

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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.