What does "handle" mean?
The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
Handle
/ˈhæn.dl̩/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
- Grammar: handle is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: deal, grip, hold, manage.
- Useful contrasts: avoid, confusion, drop.
- Usage evidence: It all depends how you handle it.
How to use "handle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "handle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "handle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "handle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "handle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "handle" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "deal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "handle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
"Once his fingers strayed to the handle of his hunting-knife, and I should have interfered had I not been conscious that Wickliffe was on his guard."
- 2 the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it wordnet
- 3 An instrument for effecting a purpose (either literally or figuratively); a tool, or an opportunity or pretext.
"They overturned him to all his interests by the sure but fatal handle of his own good nature."
- 4 The gross amount of wagering within a given period of time or for a given event at one of more establishments.
"The daily handle of a Las Vegas casino is typically millions of dollars."
- 5 The tactile qualities of a fabric, e.g., softness, firmness, elasticity, fineness, resilience, and other qualities perceived by touch.
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 A name or nickname, especially as an identifier over the radio or Internet. slang
"We sat together at the restaurant and asked him about his handle (CB name)."
- 7 A title attached to one's name, such as Doctor or Colonel. slang
"The successful businessman was knighted and acquired a handle to his name."
- 8 A reference to an object or structure that can be stored in a variable.
"This article describes how to find the module name from the window handle."
- 9 A traditional dimpled glass with a handle, for serving a pint of beer. UK, informal
- 10 A 10 fluid ounce (285 mL) glass of beer. Australia, New-Zealand
"A shudder passes over him and he orders another handle of beer."
- 11 A half-gallon (1.75-liter) bottle of alcohol. US
"Josh bought a fifth of Evan Williams for Andrew as a token of gratitude and Ray, because of the financial constraints, purchased the cheapest handle of whiskey he could find: Heaven Hill."
- 12 A point, an extremity of land. rare
"the Handle of the Sug in Newfoundland"
- 13 A topological space homeomorphic to a ball but viewed as a product of two lower-dimensional balls.
"Such a 2-handle cancels the 1-handle so the manifold is D⁴."
- 14 The smooth, irreducible subcurve of a comb which connects to each of the other components in exactly one point.
- 15 A person's nose. slang
"That Nose, which in the infant could annoy, / Was grown a perfect nuisance in the boy. / Whene'er he walk'd, his Handle went before, / Long as the snout of Ferret, or Wild Boar; […]"
- 16 The amount wagered in the various pari-mutuel pools for a particular event or events.
Verb
- 1 To touch; to feel or hold with the hand(s). transitive
"Happy, ye leaves! when as those lilly hands [...] Shall handle you."
- 2 act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression wordnet
- 3 To accustom to the hand; to take care of with the hands. rare, transitive
"The hardness of the winters forces the breeders to house and handle their colts for at least six months every year."
- 4 touch, lift, or hold with the hands wordnet
- 5 To manage, use, or wield with the hands. transitive
"That fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper"
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 handle effectively wordnet
- 7 To manage, control, or direct. transitive
"You shall see how I'll handle her"
- 8 show and train wordnet
- 9 To treat, to deal with (in a specified way). transitive
"she handled the news with grace"
- 10 be in charge of, act on, or dispose of wordnet
- 11 To deal with (a subject, argument, topic, or theme) in speaking, in writing, or in art. transitive
"We will handle what persons are apt to envy others..."
- 12 interact in a certain way wordnet
- 13 To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell. transitive
"a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock"
- 14 To be concerned with; to be an expert in. rare, transitive
"They that handle the law knew me not"
- 15 To put up with; to endure (and continue to function). transitive
"I can't handle this hot weather."
- 16 To use the hands. intransitive
"They [idols made of gold and silver] have hands, but they handle not"
- 17 To illegally touch the ball with the hand or arm; to commit handball. intransitive
- 18 To behave in a particular way when handled (managed, controlled, directed). intransitive
"the car handles well"
Antonyms
Example
"It all depends how you handle it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "handle"?
Common synonyms include: deal, grip, hold, manage, treat, nickname.
How do you use "handle" in a sentence?
It all depends how you handle it.
How do you pronounce "handle"?
Pronounced /ˈhæn.dl̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English handel, handle, from Old English handle (“handle”), from Proto-West Germanic *handulā (“handle”). See verb below. Cognate with German Hantel (“dumbbell, barbell”), Danish handel (“handle”). Related to hand.
Etymology 2
From Middle English handlen, from Old English handlian (“to handle, feel, deal with, discuss”), from Proto-West Germanic *handulōn, from Proto-Germanic *handulōną (“to take, grip, feel”), equivalent to hand + -le. Cognate with West Frisian handelje, hanneljen, hanljen (“to handle, treat”), Dutch handelen (“to handle, deal, act, negotiate”), German handeln (“to act, trade, negotiate, behave”), Swedish handla (“to buy, trade, deal”), Icelandic höndla (“to handle”).