# hand

/ˈhænd/ (US) · /hˈænd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hand
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. body part

noun · CEFR A1

the part of the body at the end of the arm, including the fingers and thumb.

For teachers: the terminal part of the vertebrate forelimb, specifically the human extremity distal to the wrist.

- He held the small bird gently in his hand so it wouldn't fly away.
- The surgeon's hands remained perfectly steady throughout the delicate procedure, demonstrating years of specialised training.

### 2. help

noun · CEFR A2 · Informal

an act of helping someone with a task.

For teachers: assistance or aid provided to complete a physical or mental task.

- Could you give me a hand with these heavy grocery bags?
- The neighbours offered a hand with the garden clearance, making short work of the overgrown brambles that had blocked the path.

### 3. a worker

noun · CEFR B2

a person who does physical work, especially on a farm or a ship.

For teachers: a person employed for manual labour, typically in an industrial, agricultural, or maritime context.

- The farm hired extra hands during the busy harvest season.
- The captain ordered all hands on deck to secure the rigging as the storm clouds gathered on the horizon.

### 4. clock part

noun · CEFR A2

one of the long pieces on a clock that points to the numbers.

For teachers: a pointer on a dial, such as those on a clock, watch, or gauge.

- The big hand of the clock was pointing exactly at twelve.
- The minute hand swept steadily across the dial, marking the final seconds before the launch sequence was initiated.

### 5. applause

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

the sound of people clapping their hands to show they liked something.

For teachers: an instance of applause or clapping by an audience to show approval.

- Let's give a big hand to our guest speaker tonight.
- The pianist received a huge hand from the audience after her masterful performance of the concerto.

### 6. card games

noun · CEFR B1

the set of cards a player holds during a game.

For teachers: the set of cards dealt to a player in a single round of a card game.

- He looked at his hand and realised he had a winning set of cards.
- Despite being dealt a poor hand, the professional player managed to bluff his way into winning the final pot.

### 7. handwriting

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

the particular way a person writes with a pen.

For teachers: a person's characteristic style of penmanship or handwriting.

- The letter was written in a beautiful, flowing hand.
- The historian immediately recognised the queen's distinctive hand in the margins of the ancient manuscript.

### 8. to pass something

verb · CEFR A2

to give something to someone using your hand.

For teachers: to pass or deliver something to another person physically.

- Please hand me that book on the top shelf.
- The witness was asked to hand the documents to the judge for further inspection during the trial.

## Examples

- She holds the pen in her right hand.
- The doctor asked the patient to open and close their hand to check for any pain in the joints.
- The artist spent years studying the intricate anatomy of the human hand, focusing on how the tendons move beneath the skin when the fingers grip an object.

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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.