# handler

/ˈhændəɫɝ/ (US) · /hˈændlɐ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. animal trainer

noun · CEFR B2

a person who trains or manages an animal, especially in a professional way.

For teachers: a person who trains or manages an animal, typically in a professional context such as a dog show or a zoo.

- The police dog followed every command given by its professional handler.
- During the exhibition, the experienced falconry handler demonstrated how the bird of prey would return to his glove from a great distance.

### 2. manager or advisor

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who manages the public image or schedule of a famous person or politician.

For teachers: an advisor or manager who provides strategic guidance and logistical support to a public figure or politician.

- The senator's handlers made sure he didn't answer any difficult questions from the press.
- Public relations handlers often script every interaction to ensure the celebrity maintains a carefully curated image during the promotional tour.

### 3. event/exception responder

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a piece of computer code that starts working when a specific event happens.

For teachers: a subroutine or function designed to execute in response to a specific event or exception within a software environment.

- The programmer wrote a new error handler to stop the app from crashing.
- The system architect implemented a custom event handler to manage asynchronous requests without blocking the main execution thread.

### 4. manual worker

noun · CEFR B2

a person who physically moves or carries goods, especially at an airport or warehouse.

For teachers: a worker who performs manual labour involving the physical movement or processing of goods.

- Baggage handlers at the airport were on strike, causing long delays for passengers.
- The logistics company hired additional freight handlers to manage the increased volume of shipments during the peak holiday season.

## Examples

- The click handler runs when you press the button.
- The developer wrote a custom error handler to catch and log any issues during the data upload process.
- By decoupling the event handler from the main logic, the application remains responsive even when processing high volumes of incoming network requests.

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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.