Library / English Dictionary

HANDLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it

Example:

it was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip

Synonyms:

grip; handgrip; handle; hold

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

appendage (a part that is joined to something larger)

Meronyms (parts of "handle"):

shank; stem (cylinder forming a long narrow part of something)

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

ax handle; axe handle (the handle of an ax)

hilt (the handle of a sword or dagger)

hoe handle (the handle of a hoe)

gunstock; stock (the handle of a handgun or the butt end of a rifle or shotgun or part of the support of a machine gun or artillery gun)

broom handle; broomstick (the handle of a broom)

stock (the handle end of some implements or tools)

knob (a round handle)

haft; helve (the handle of a weapon or tool)

rake handle (the handle of a rake)

pommel (a handgrip that a gymnast uses when performing exercises on a pommel horse)

pommel; saddlebow (handgrip formed by the raised front part of a saddle)

crop (the stock or handle of a whip)

panhandle (the handle of a pan)

mop handle (the handle of a mop)

Holonyms ("handle" is a part of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

ladle (a spoon-shaped vessel with a long handle; frequently used to transfer liquids from one container to another)

mug (with handle and usually cylindrical)

racket; racquet (a sports implement (usually consisting of a handle and an oval frame with a tightly interlaced network of strings) used to strike a ball (or shuttlecock) in various games)

saucepan (a deep pan with a handle; used for stewing or boiling)

spatula (a turner with a narrow flexible blade)

teacup (a cup from which tea is drunk)

umbrella (a lightweight handheld collapsible canopy)

watering can; watering pot (a container with a handle and a spout with a perforated nozzle; used to sprinkle water over plants)

aspergill; aspersorium (a short-handled device with a globe containing a sponge; used for sprinkling holy water)

baggage; luggage (cases used to carry belongings when traveling)

baseball bat; lumber (an implement used in baseball by the batter)

briefcase (a case with a handle; for carrying papers or files or books)

brush (an implement that has hairs or bristles firmly set into a handle)

carpet beater; rug beater (implement for beating dust out of carpets)

carrycot (box-shaped baby bed with handles (for a baby to sleep in while being carried))

cheese cutter (a kitchen utensil (board or handle) with a wire for cutting cheese)

coffee cup (a cup from which coffee is drunk)

coffeepot (tall pot in which coffee is brewed)

bat; cricket bat (the club used in playing cricket)

cutlery; eating utensil (tableware implements for cutting and eating food)

edge tool (any cutting tool with a sharp cutting edge (as a chisel or knife or plane or gouge))

faucet; spigot (a regulator for controlling the flow of a liquid from a reservoir)

frying pan; frypan; skillet (a pan used for frying foods)

handbarrow (a rectangular frame with handles at both ends; carried by two people)

cart; go-cart; handcart; pushcart (wheeled vehicle that can be pushed by a person; may have one or two or four wheels)

handlebar (the shaped bar used to steer a bicycle)

French telephone; handset (telephone set with the mouthpiece and earpiece mounted on a single handle)

Derivation:

handle (touch, lift, or hold with the hands)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

Example:

The new book treats the history of China

Synonyms:

address; cover; deal; handle; plow; treat

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

broach; initiate (bring up a topic for discussion)

Verb group:

do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)

comprehend; cover; embrace; encompass (include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory)

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

theologise; theologize (treat from a theological viewpoint or render theological in character)

discourse; discuss; talk about (to consider or examine in speech or writing)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Touch, lift, or hold with the hands

Example:

Don't handle the merchandise

Synonyms:

handle; palm

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

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

manhandle (handle roughly)

manipulate (hold something in one's hands and move it)

fumble (handle clumsily)

field (catch or pick up (balls) in baseball or cricket)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

handle (the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it)

handling (the action of touching with the hands (or the skillful use of the hands) or by the use of mechanical means)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Handle effectively

Example:

The young violinist didn't manage her bow very well

Synonyms:

handle; manage; wield

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

manipulate (hold something in one's hands and move it)

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

ply (wield vigorously)

pump (operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal)

sweep; swing; swing out (make a big sweeping gesture or movement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Show and train

Example:

The prize-winning poodle was handled by Mrs. Priscilla Prescott

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

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

control; keep in line; manipulate (maintain influence over (others or oneself) skillfully, usually to one's advantage)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

handler ((sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team)

handler (one who trains or exhibits animals)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be in charge of, act on, or dispose of

Example:

She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old

Synonyms:

care; deal; handle; manage

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

command; control (exercise authoritative control or power over)

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

touch (deal with; usually used with a form of negation)

carry on; conduct; deal (direct the course of; manage or control)

direct (be in charge of)

misconduct; mishandle; mismanage (manage badly or incompetently)

process (deal with in a routine way)

juggle (deal with simultaneously)

coordinate (bring into common action, movement, or condition)

mind; take care (be in charge of or deal with)

dispose of (deal with or settle)

come to grips; get to grips (deal with (a problem or a subject))

work (cause to operate or function)

organise; organize (cause to be structured or ordered or operating according to some principle or idea)

administer; administrate (work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

handler (an agent who handles something or someone)

handling (the management of someone or something)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Interact in a certain way

Example:

Handle the press reporters gently

Synonyms:

do by; handle; treat

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

interact (act together or towards others or with others)

Verb group:

address; cover; deal; handle; plow; treat (act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression)

treat (regard or consider in a specific way)

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

baby; cocker; coddle; cosset; featherbed; indulge; mollycoddle; pamper; spoil (treat with excessive indulgence)

abuse; ill-treat; ill-use; maltreat; mistreat; step (treat badly)

gloss over; skate over; skimp over; slur over; smooth over (treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly)

do well by (treat with respect and consideration)

brutalise; brutalize (treat brutally)

rough-house (treat in a rough or boisterous manner)

upstage (treat snobbishly, put in one's place)

ride roughshod; run roughshod (treat inconsiderately or harshly)

strong-arm (handle roughly)

nurse (treat carefully)

criminalize (treat as a criminal)

handle with kid gloves (handle with great care and sensitivity)

wrong (treat unjustly; do wrong to)

cut; disregard; ignore; snub (refuse to acknowledge)

bemock; mock (treat with contempt)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Sometimes the stress can be too much to handle alone.

(Coping with Disasters, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Humans are infected by handling sick birds.

(Chlamydia Psittaci Infection, NCI Thesaurus)

Is he/she hard to handle?

(NPI - Periods When He/She Refuses to Cooperate, NCI Thesaurus)

Her knives were twice as long as a scythe, set straight upon the handle.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

One other point: You will be handling a lot of assignments, and you may go home tuckered out each evening.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The editors and readers were back from their summer vacations, and manuscripts were being handled quickly.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient engage in repetitive activities such as handling buttons, picking, wrapping string, etc.?

(NPI - Engage in Repetitive Activities, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient have any other behaviors that make him/her hard to handle?

(NPI - Any Other Behaviors That Make Him/Her Hard to Handle, NCI Thesaurus)

It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

(Mental Health, NIH)

A coded value specifying special handling requirements for the drug.

(Drug Handling Code, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)