handle
n. countablen. the part of an object that you hold or pull with your hand. You use it to open doors, carry bags, or pick up tools.
n. the part of an object specifically designed to be grasped, held, or operated by the hand. In computing and social media contexts, it refers to a unique username or identifier.
The handle on the front door is broken.
She grabbed the suitcase by its leather handle and hurried toward the train platform.
While the physical handle of the antique chest was crafted from solid brass, its intricate design made it surprisingly difficult to grip firmly when moving the heavy furniture.
From Middle English handel, handle, from Old English handle (“handle”), from Proto-West Germanic *handulā (“handle”). See verb below. Cognate with German Hantel (“dumbbell, barbell”), Danish handel (“handle”). Related to hand.
From Middle English handlen, from Old English handlian (“to handle, feel, deal with, discuss”), from Proto-West Germanic handulōn, from Proto-Germanic handulōną (“to take, grip, feel”), equivalent to hand + -le. Cognate with West Frisian handelje, hanneljen, hanljen (“to handle, treat”), Dutch handelen (“to handle, deal, act, negotiate”), German handeln (“to act, trade, negotiate, behave”), Swedish handla (“to buy, trade, deal”), Icelandic höndla (“to handle”).
Commonly used in the phrase 'to have a handle on something', meaning to understand or control a situation.