handy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Useful and easy to use.

   This little tool is really handy for opening jars.

2. 2
   adj

   Near and easy to reach.

   Keep a pen handy in case you need to write something down.

3. 3
   adj

   Good at making or repairing things with your hands.

   He's very handy and fixed the broken chair himself.

Common collocations

• handy gadget Adjective + noun

From Middle English handy, hondi (attested in personal names), alteration of earlier hendi (“handy, skillful”), from Old English *hendiġ (“skillful”) (attested in listhendiġ (“skilled in art”)), from Proto-West Germanic *handīg, *handag, *handug, from Proto-Germanic *handugaz (“handy, skillful, nimble”), from *handuz (“hand”), equivalent to hand + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian jäntich (“handy”), Middle Low German handich (“skillful, apt”), Middle High German handec, hendec (“manual, hand-held”), Old Norse hǫndugr (“efficient”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐌲𐍃 (handugs, “wise, clever”). Akin to Dutch handi…

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images