handful

Plural

handfuls

1. 1.The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.

2. 2.A small number, usually approximately five.

   • This handful of men were tied to very hard duty.
   • You tell me the velocity of a baseball as it leaves Derek Jeter's bat, and I can use the laws of physics to calculate where it will land a handful of seconds later.
   • The names of a number of the most famous North American railroads could be found in the north-east; Pennsylvania, New York Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Chesapeake & Ohio, and the Norfolk & Western, to name but a handful.

3. 3.A group or number of things; a bunch.

   • But, aunt, she must have had some kind of education, her accent was so pure, her English so unfaulty. The other girl dropped her h's by handfuls, and made some very wild confusion in her native etymology.

4. 4.Something which can only be managed with difficulty.(informal)

   • Those twins are a real handful to look after.
   • Many times dogs are surrendered for reasons such as changes in the family unit, a death in the family, no time to care for a dog, or because that cute little puppy is now a 100 lb untrained handful.

Overall

Uncommon· #3431

By learning goal

Everyday conversation

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General reading & writing

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Academic

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Literature

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Word family

• hand