Library / English Dictionary

HANDICAP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: handicapped    , handicapping   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

penalty ((games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game)

scratch ((golf) a handicap of zero strokes)

Derivation:

handicap (attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

Synonyms:

balk; baulk; check; deterrent; handicap; hinderance; hindrance; impediment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

difficulty (a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

albatross; millstone ((figurative) something that hinders or handicaps)

bind (something that hinders as if with bonds)

diriment impediment ((canon law) an impediment that invalidates a marriage (such as the existence of a prior marriage))

drag (something that slows or delays progress)

obstacle; obstruction (something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted)

straitjacket (anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines)

Derivation:

handicap (put at a disadvantage)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness

Example:

hearing impairment

Synonyms:

disability; disablement; handicap; impairment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

softness; unfitness (poor physical condition; being out of shape or out of condition (as from a life of ease and luxury))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

disintegration (a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system)

bandy legs; bow leg; bow legs (outward curvature of the legs)

pigeon toes (disability in which the toes are turned inward; often associated with knock-knee)

genu valgum; knock-knee; tibia valga (an inward slant of the thigh)

hypesthesia; hypoesthesia (impairment of tactile sensitivity; decrease of sensitivity)

descensus; prolapse; prolapsus (the slipping or falling out of place of an organ (as the uterus))

vision defect; visual defect; visual disorder; visual impairment (impairment of the sense of sight)

dysomia (impairment of the sense of smell)

hearing disorder; hearing impairment (impairment of the sense of hearing)

amputation (a condition of disability resulting from the loss of one or more limbs)

astasia (inability to stand due to muscular incoordination)

disability of walking (a disability that interferes with or prevents walking)

dysphasia (an impairment of language (especially speech production) that is usually due to brain damage)

anorgasmia (absence of an orgasm in sexual relations)

bandy leg; bandyleg; bow leg; bowleg; genu varum; tibia vara (a leg bowed outward at the knee (or below the knee))

Derivation:

handicap (injure permanently)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Injure permanently

Example:

He was disabled in a car accident

Synonyms:

disable; handicap; incapacitate; invalid

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "handicap"):

hock (disable by cutting the hock)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

handicap (the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put at a disadvantage

Example:

The brace I have to wear is hindering my movements

Synonyms:

hamper; handicap; hinder

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

disadvantage; disfavor; disfavour (put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

handicap (something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

bias (influence in an unfair way)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

handicap (advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning)

handicapper (someone who sets the betting odds based on calculations of the outcome of a contest (especially a horse race))

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