[Amongst other colloquial usages of Hand are the following:—At hand = readily, hard by; at any hand (Shakspeare)
on any account; at no hand
on no account; for one's own hand = for one's own purpose or interest; from hand to hand = from one to another; in hand = in a state of preparation, under consideration, or control; off one's hands = finished; on hand = in possession; in one's hands = in one's care; out of hand = completed, without hesitation; to one's hand = ready; hand over head = negligently, rashly; hand to mouth = improvident; hands off! = stand off; heavy on hand = hard to manage; hot at hand = difficult to manage; light in hand = easy to manage; to ask (or give) the hand of = to ask (or give) in marriage; to be hand and glove with = to be very intimate with; to bear a hand = to help; to bear in (or on) hand = to cheat or mock by false promises; to change hands = to change owners; to come to hand = to be received; to get hand = to gain influence; to give a hand = to applaud; to give the hand to = to be reconciled to; to have a hand in = to have a share in; to have one's hands full = to be fully occupied; to hold hands with = to vie with, to hold one's own; to lay hands on = to assault, to seize; to lend a hand = to help; to make a hand = to gain an advantage; to put (or stretch) forth the hand against = to use violence; to set the hand to = to undertake; to strike hands = to make a bargain; to take by the hand = to take under one's guidance; to take in hand = to attempt; to wash one's hands of = to disclaim responsibility; a heavy hand = severity; a light hand = gentleness; a slack hand = idleness, carelessness; a strict hand = severe discipline; clean hands = freedom from guilt; to stand one in hand = to concern, to be of importance to; hand to fist = tête-a-tête, hip to haunch; hand over hand = easily; to get a hand = to be applauded.]
Hand-and-Pocket Shop, subs.
phr. (old).—See quot.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hand-and-Pocket-Shop. An eating house, where ready money is paid for what is called for.
Handbasket-portion, subs. (old).—See
quot.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hand-basket-portion. A woman whose husband receives frequent presents from her father, or family, is said to have a hand-basket-portion.
Handbinder (in. pl.), subs. (old).—Chains
for the wrists. For synonyms,
see Darbies.
1696. Ray, Nomenclator, Menotes, liens à lier les mains, fers à enferrer les mains. Manicls, or handbinders.
Hander, subs. (schoolboys').—A
stroke on the hand with a cane;
a palmie (q.v.).
1868. Jas. Greenwood, Purgatory of Peter the Cruel, v., 149. You've been playing the wag, and you've got to take your handers.
Handicap, subs. (colloquial).—An
arrangement in racing, etc., by
which every competitor is, or is
supposed to be, brought on an
equality so far as regards his
chance of winning by an adjustment
of the weights to be carried,
the distance to be run, etc.: extra
weight or distance being imposed
in proportion to their supposed
merits on those held better than
the others. [A handicap is framed
in accordance with the known
performances of the competitors,
and, in horse-racing, with regard
to the age and sex of the entries.
The term is derived from the old
game of hand-in-cap, or handicap.]
1660. Pepys, Diary, 18 Sep. Here some of us fell to handycapp, a sport that I never knew before.
1883. Hawley Smart, Hard Lines xxi. The race carried so many penalties and allowances that it partook somewhat of the nature of a handicap.
Verb (colloquial). 1. To adjust or proportion weights, starts, etc., in order to bring a number of competitors as nearly as possible to an equality.
