Handle

/ˈhæn.d(ə)l/ · noun

Meaning

The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved..

Definitions by Sense

1. The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
2. An instrument for effecting a purpose (either literally or figuratively); a tool, or an opportunity or pretext.
3. (gambling) The gross amount of wagering within a given period of time or for a given event at one of more establishments.
4. (textiles) The tactile qualities of a fabric, e.g., softness, firmness, elasticity, fineness, resilience, and other qualities perceived by touch.
5. (slang) A name or nickname, especially as an identifier over the radio or Internet.
6. (slang) A title attached to one's name, such as Doctor or Colonel.
7. (computing) A reference to an object or structure that can be stored in a variable.
8. (UK, informal) A traditional dimpled glass with a handle, for serving a pint of beer.

Example Sentences

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.

By pushing the fork downwards so that its teeth pass the handle of the stopper, and then turning the cover of the desiccator 90°, the handle of the stopper falls into the furrows and rests upon them.

By keeping the handle of the bellows fixed in any given position the lung within the chamber could be kept for a short time at any desired degree of distension, and by pressing at intervals upon the bag, air could be forced to and fro between the bad and the lung outside the chamber, without distending the air within it.

But first they were gonna stop in Las Vegas / It's off to Las Vegas / To check out the lounges / Pull a few handles

They overturned him to all his interests by the sure but fatal handle of his own good nature.

Nothing can be more reprehensible, or wicked, than to make Christian Missions a handle for political expansion.

Many investigators feel that the double requirement for the antigen-recognition by cytotoxic T cells or DTH-reactive T cells may provide a handle for solving the T-cell receptor puzzle, and that anti-Id reagents are to be used in this approach.

The way AIDS has become a handle for the New Right's homophobia.

Synonyms for handle

Antonyms for handle

Related Words

Word Forms

• handles
• handling
• handled

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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