handle
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,730 of 86,757 words measured. It occurs 49,296 times across 426,181 published chapters — 0.003% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- be in charge of, act on, or dispose of also: manage, deal, care I can deal with this crew of workersThis blender can't handle nuts
- interact in a certain way also: treat, do by Do right by herTreat him with caution, please
- act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression also: cover, treat, plow, deal, address This book deals with incestThe course covered all of Western Civilization
- touch, lift, or hold with the hands also: palm Don't handle the merchandise
- handle effectively also: wield, manage The burglar wielded an axeThe young violinist didn't manage her bow very well
- show and train The prize-winning poodle was handled by Mrs. Priscilla Prescott
noun
- the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it also: grip, handgrip, hold he grabbed the hammer by the handleit was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip
handle in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Look, Enid, what do you do to handle a headstrong female?
Circle of Confusion · George O. (George Oliver) Smith · Chapter 1
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It had a bamboo handle somewhere between twelve and fourteen feet long, with a proportionate lash.
Six Months at the Cape · R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne · Chapter 1
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Probing the bottom in front of you with the handle of your landing-net,--and finding it very soft.
Maxims and Hints on Angling, Chess, Shooting, and Other Matters · Richard Penn · Chapter 1
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Her capacity to handle English--after so short a residence in America--shows that she possesses also the instrument of expression.
From Plotzk to Boston · Mary Antin · Chapter 1
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Twice, braking with one foot on the front crotch and sliding the wheel, I had pitched headlong over the handle bars.
A Mountain Boyhood · Joe Mills · Chapter 1