# handball

/ˈhændˌbɔɫ/ (US) · /hˈændbɔːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/handball
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. team sport

noun · CEFR B1

a sport where two teams of seven players try to throw a ball into the other team's goal.

For teachers: an Olympic team sport in which two teams of seven players pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the goal of the other team.

- She played handball for her university team every weekend during the winter.
- Handball requires a combination of physical strength, agility, and tactical awareness, making it one of the most popular indoor sports in Europe.

### 2. football foul

noun · CEFR B1

in football (soccer), the mistake of touching the ball with your hand or arm.

For teachers: an infraction in association football occurring when a player, other than the goalkeeper within their own penalty area, deliberately touches the ball with their hand or arm.

- The referee gave a penalty because the defender committed a handball in the box.
- The VAR review confirmed a handball, as the defender's arm was in an unnatural position when the cross struck him.

### 3. wall game

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · British English

a game where you hit a small ball against a wall using your hand.

For teachers: a game played in a walled court where players hit a small rubber ball against a wall with their hands; common in Ireland and the US.

- We spent our summer afternoons playing handball against the side of the school building.
- American handball is traditionally played in a four-wall court, though one-wall variations remain popular in urban parks across New York City.

### 4. to pass responsibility

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang · Dialect

to give a difficult job or a problem to someone else because you do not want to do it.

For teachers: to delegate or transfer an unwanted task, responsibility, or difficult question to another person, typically to avoid personal burden.

- My boss tried to handball the difficult client meeting to me at the last minute.
- The minister attempted to handball the controversial inquiry to a junior staffer, hoping to distance himself from the inevitable public backlash.

Usage: Often used in Australian English to describe avoiding a task.

Teaching tip: This sense is common in Australian English; learners should use it carefully as it implies you are being lazy or evasive.

## Examples

- The referee called a handball and gave the other team a penalty.
- During the physical education class, the students learned the basic rules of handball, including how to dribble and shoot.
- The defender's unintentional handball in the final minute of the match resulted in a controversial penalty that ultimately decided the championship title.

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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.