hand

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   physical assistance

   give me a hand with the chores

2. 2
   noun

   terminal part of the forelimb in certain vertebrates (e.g. apes or kangaroos)

   the kangaroo's forearms seem undeveloped but the powerful five-fingered hands are skilled at feinting and clouting- Springfield (Mass.) Union

3. 3
   noun

   a rotating pointer on the face of a timepiece

   the big hand counts the minutes

4. 4
   noun

   the prehensile extremity of the superior limb

   I have the hands of a surgeon.

5. 5
   noun

   ability or skill

   I wanted to try my hand at singing.

6. 6
   noun

   one of two sides of an issue

   on the one hand..., but on the other hand...

7. 7
   noun

   the characteristic pattern of someone's handwriting

   I recognized their hand.

8. 8
   noun

   a round of applause to signify approval

   give the little lady a great big hand

Etymology

From Middle English handen, honden, from the noun (see above); and also from henden (> English hend), from Old English *hendan, ġehendan (“to seize by hand, grasp, hold”), from Proto-West Germanic *handijan, from Proto-Germanic *handijaną (“to take by hand, grasp”), from the noun (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian handa, henda (“to grasp, seize”), Middle Low German handen, henden (in derivatives), Dutch handen, henden (“to arrange, dispose, be handy”), Dutch overhandigen (“to hand, hand over”), Middle High German handen (“to cut, hew”), Middle High German henden (“to give hands to; take hol…