handful
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the amount of something you can hold in one hand.
the quantity of a substance or group of objects that can be contained within a single hand.
Simple“He grabbed a handful of nuts from the bowl while watching the game.”
In context“The child scattered a handful of birdseed across the pavement, watching as the pigeons descended from the rooftops.”
Synonymsfistfulpalmful - 02 B1 Intermediate
a small number of people or things.
a small, often unspecified number of individuals or items, typically implying a minority.
Simple“Only a handful of students showed up for the extra study session.”
In context“Despite the heavy marketing campaign, only a handful of protesters gathered outside the embassy to voice their concerns.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
someone or something that is very difficult to control or manage.
a person, animal, or situation that is troublesome or difficult to manage. Often used with the verb 'to be'.
Simple“Their youngest son is a bit of a handful at the supermarket.”
In context“The new puppy proved to be quite a handful, chewing through several expensive cables before the owners invested in professional training.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a five-year stay in prison.
a prison sentence of five years. Derived from the five fingers on a hand.
Simple“He was lucky to get away with just a handful for such a serious crime.”
In context“The judge handed down a handful, ensuring the defendant would remain behind bars until the middle of the decade.”
“When she finally lifts the lid, she reveals tiny socks, neatly folded birth certificates and a handful of keepsakes she has guarded for decades.”
“There are a handful of exceptions when it will not apply.”
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.