Word
handful
Phoneticshand·ful, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhændˌfʊɫ/
UK/hˈændfəl/
Definitions
01amount in a hand
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the amount of something you can hold in one hand.
n. the quantity of a substance or group of objects that can be contained within a single hand.
日本語:握り※
“He grabbed a handful of nuts from the bowl while watching the game.”
“The child scattered a handful of birdseed across the pavement, watching as the pigeons descended from the rooftops.”
Synonyms
02a small number
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a small number of people or things.
n. a small, often unspecified number of individuals or items, typically implying a minority.
Español:puñado
“Only a handful of students showed up for the extra study session.”
“Despite the heavy marketing campaign, only a handful of protesters gathered outside the embassy to voice their concerns.”
Synonyms
03difficult person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. someone or something that is very difficult to control or manage.
n. a person, animal, or situation that is troublesome or difficult to manage. Often used with the verb 'to be'.
“Their youngest son is a bit of a handful at the supermarket.”
“The new puppy proved to be quite a handful, chewing through several expensive cables before the owners invested in professional training.”
Synonyms
04prison sentence
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Slang
n. a five-year stay in prison.
n. a prison sentence of five years. Derived from the five fingers on a hand.
“He was lucky to get away with just a handful for such a serious crime.”
“The judge handed down a handful, ensuring the defendant would remain behind bars until the middle of the decade.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “handful” in context.
Verb
01. be quite a handful
“The twins are lovely, but they can be quite a handful when they are tired.”
verb + adj + noun
02. grab a handful
“He reached into the bowl to grab a handful of salted peanuts.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. mere handful
“Only a mere handful of people turned up for the protest despite the social media campaign.”
adj + noun
04. select handful
“The CEO invited a select handful of senior partners to the private retreat.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. handful of occasions
“I have only met him on a handful of occasions, so I don't know him well.”
noun + of + noun
06. handful of supporters
“A small handful of supporters waited outside the stadium to catch a glimpse of the team.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. in handfuls
“The children were throwing confetti in handfuls during the wedding ceremony.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“When she finally lifts the lid, she reveals tiny socks, neatly folded birth certificates and a handful of keepsakes she has guarded for decades.” “Post the second world war, performances of the massive work in concert – let alone staged – became rare, and, this century, there’s been barely a handful done professionally.” “The AMOC depends on deep water forming in a handful of places in the North Atlantic - including the Labrador Sea, the Greenland Sea and waters south of Iceland.” “There are a handful of exceptions when it will not apply.” Etymology
From Middle English handful, hondful, from Old English handfull (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic handufullō, handufulliz (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic handuz (“hand”) + fullaz (“full”); equivalent to hand + full (“fullness, plenty”) or hand + -ful. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hondful (“handful”), West Frisian hânfol (“handful”), Dutch handvol (“handful”), German Handvoll (“handful”), Danish håndfuld (“handful”), Swedish handfull (“handful”), Icelandic handfylli (“handful”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/handful
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0