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handle

handle

213 1.0
The part of an object you hold to carry or use it
  • noun
  • /ˈhændl/
: asa
  • She took hold of the handle of the suitcase to lift it off the ground.
  • a wooden handle
  • a control handle
  • handle assembly

pull this tab under the handle and change the height

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Examples

  • I hear the quick, then slow, squeaks of the pump handle, then the sudden rush of water.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • It's lying just in front of her, its handle sticking out over the edge of the shelf.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You go for it, grab the handle, but it's stuck.

  • This is going to be the handle up here.

  • And also check this out, check out the door handles, how beautiful they are.

  • There was gold on the rim, and the handle was the shape of a question mark.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The heavy click of the door handle is followed by a loud rush of air.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I'm just gonna grab the handle.

  • I need to borrow your broom handle.

  • During the meal, their fingers kept searching out the handles of their empty coffee cups.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

knob
vshandle
84 1.4

A rounded handle used to open or adjust things like doors and radios

is a more general holding part not limited to rounded controls
grip
vshandle
31 1.0

The part of an object shaped to fit the hand

is broader and applies to many kinds of holding areas
hand-hold
vshandle
12 4.8

A thing you can hold for support, or simple help for someone new

focuses on aiding use or moving objects not guidance or climbing support
handhold
vshandle
6 3.0

A part of something you grab with your hand for support, like a rail

is intended for use or movement rather than only steadying
pull
vshandle
5 1.0

A handle on a drawer or door used to open it

is broader used for holding during use or movement not only pulling
handgrip
vshandle
1 3.0

A part of a thing you hold with your hand to carry or use

has identical meaning but is the more general word

Idioms

8 6.8

To suddenly become very angry

3 7.0

Treat someone very gently to avoid upsetting them

2 7.7

A subject that is too difficult or risky to deal with

Compounds

love handle
  • Informal
10 3.9

A small roll of fat at the sides of the waist

3 1.0

A long stick used to hold and move a broom

3 2.5

A wooden or metal stick you hold to use an ax

1 1.0

A long stick attached to a mop used for holding and moving it while cleaning

1 2.5

A long stick used to hold a garden tool for moving leaves

1 4.9

A piece you turn by hand to start an engine or make a machine work

1 7.4

A large bushy moustache with long ends that curl or hang beside the mouth

basket-handle arch
  • Specialized
8.2

An arch with a wide, flat curve made from parts of three circles, often used in bridges and large buildings

A small sea clam with a long narrow curved shell like the handle of a knife

starting handle
  • Specialized
8.8

A metal crank you put into an engine and turn by hand to make it run

How Comfortable

grip
31 1.0
handle
213 1.0
knob
84 1.4
ring
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

handle singular
handles plural

Morphology

handle = hand (transparent) = hand + le

The noun meaning 'part designed to be held' is a direct nominal outcome of 'hand' + '-le' and is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Handle comes from hand meaning 'hand' and originally meant the part meant to be held. So a handle is the part of an object you hold to move or use it easily.