hand
hand — verb
1. to give something to another person by putting it into their hand or within thei
to give something to another person by putting it into their hand or within their reach, especially when you are standing close to them.
Jisoo handed her bus pass to the driver as she stepped onto the bus.
hand + direct object + to + recipient
The librarian handed Bao a stack of books about ancient Egypt.
hand + indirect object + direct object (ditransitive)
Please hand these invitation cards to everyone on the guest list.
A warm towel was handed to each guest at the spa entrance.
Brandon handed his little brother a bowl of soup across the kitchen table.
文法句型
hand + someone + something
hand + something + to + someone
用法筆記
Frequently takes two objects — you can either 'hand someone something' or 'hand something to someone.' Unlike 'give,' 'hand' always implies the item moves directly from your hand to another person's hand, without a container or intermediary.
常見錯誤
2. in football (soccer) or ice hockey — for a player to deliberately use a hand or
in football (soccer) or ice hockey — for a player to deliberately use a hand or arm to make contact with the object being played, which is against the competition rules and typically results in a free kick or penalty.
The referee blew his whistle when Omar handed the ball inside the penalty area.
hand + the ball + location of offence
Esteban was penalised for handing the puck during the championship final.
penalised for handing + the puck
A penalty kick was given after the defender deliberately handed the ball near the goal.
Roya received a yellow card for handing the ball while blocking a shot.
文法句型
hand + the ball/puck
be penalised for handing + the ball/puck
用法筆記
Only used in sports where hand contact with the ball or puck is forbidden by the rules. Does not apply to basketball or rugby, where handling the ball is legal. In modern football commentary, the noun 'handball' is far more common than the verb 'hand.'
常見錯誤
3. to take a person by the hand or arm and gently move them to another place, espec
to take a person by the hand or arm and gently move them to another place, especially when they need help walking or direction.
A nurse handed the elderly woman carefully to a chair beside the window.
hand + person + to + destination
Gabriel handed his grandmother slowly across the busy street to the pharmacy.
hand + person + across + location
As the rain started, the doorman handed Mira into the waiting taxi.
With a gentle hand on her elbow, Kofi handed the visitor through the museum entrance.
文法句型
hand + someone + preposition + location
用法筆記
Slightly old-fashioned or literary in modern English. In everyday conversation, 'lead,' 'guide,' or 'help' are more common. Frequently used with directional prepositions like 'to,' 'into,' 'across,' or 'through.' The subject is often a person in a caretaking role, such as a nurse, doorman, or family member.
常見錯誤
hand — noun
1. the end part of your arm, with four fingers and a thumb, that you use for holdin
the end part of your arm, with four fingers and a thumb, that you use for holding, touching, moving, and feeling things
Tunde placed his hand on Sayaka's shoulder to comfort her.
possessive + hand — body part ownership
Before dinner, Hannah washed her hands with warm water and soap.
plural: hands — both hands together
The doctor asked Christopher to hold out his right hand for the injection.
Soraya's hands were shaking as she opened the letter from the university.
Élise used both hands to lift the heavy box onto the table.
- foot
the corresponding part at the bottom of the leg
文法句型
hold/take + possessive + hand
raise + possessive + hand
by hand
用法筆記
Often used with possessive adjectives (my hand, your hands). The plural 'hands' is very common in everyday speech when referring to both hands together.
常見錯誤
2. a narrow indicator that goes round the middle of a watch or clock and shows the
a narrow indicator that goes round the middle of a watch or clock and shows the current time by its position
The big hand pointed to twelve and the little hand pointed to three.
big hand / little hand — common names for clock hands
Luca glanced at his watch and saw the hand moving slowly toward noon.
When the minute hand reached six, Zayd knew he was late for the meeting.
The clock on the wall had shiny black hands against a plain white face.
文法句型
the + adjective + hand
hand + points to + number
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 by context — clock vocabulary (watch, dial, face) signals this sense. The three specific types are called 'hour hand', 'minute hand', and 'second hand'.
常見錯誤
3. while playing cards, the collection that one participant holds during a single g
while playing cards, the collection that one participant holds during a single game stage, or that stage of play considered on its own
Sayaka looked at her hand and smiled — she was holding three aces.
look at + possessive + hand — examining one's cards
Gabriel dealt seven cards to each player, and everyone picked up their hand.
After winning three hands in a row, Vinícius felt confident about the game.
At the end, the player with the strongest hand takes all the chips.
Iris sorted her hand by suit, putting all the hearts together on one side.
文法句型
have + a/the + hand
deal + hand
win/lose + a/the + hand
用法筆記
Only relevant in card game contexts. 'A hand' can refer either to the cards held by one player or to one complete round of play. The article 'a' or 'the' is almost always required.
常見錯誤
4. the level of skill or natural ability a person has in using their hands to perfo
the level of skill or natural ability a person has in using their hands to perform a task well
The pottery teacher has a steady hand for shaping clay on the wheel.
have + a + adjective + hand for — describing manual skill
Saira has a good hand at drawing animals and often sketches in her notebook.
have + a good hand at — natural ability for a task
You need a steady hand to perform surgery on tiny blood vessels.
The old carpenter's hand for detailed carving made each chair one of a kind.
文法句型
have + a + adjective + hand + for/at + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Often appears in phrases with an adjective: 'a steady hand', 'a good hand', 'a light hand'. The skill is always manual or physical — not used for intellectual or academic ability.
常見錯誤
5. help or assistance, especially with physical work that requires some effort
help or assistance, especially with physical work that requires some effort
Could you give me a hand with moving this sofa to the other room?
give + someone + a hand — offer assistance
The neighbours all lent a hand to clear the fallen tree from the road.
lend + a hand — help with physical work
Eitan asked his sister for a hand with carrying the grocery bags upstairs.
The new volunteer offered a hand with washing the dishes after the meal.
- help
more general and neutral in register; 'a hand' is slightly more informal
- assistance
more formal than 'a hand'; used in official or workplace contexts
文法句型
give + someone + a hand
lend + someone + a hand
need + a hand
用法筆記
The indefinite article 'a' is required in the fixed phrases 'give a hand' and 'lend a hand'. This sense is not used in formal writing — use 'assist' or 'help' instead.
常見錯誤
6. someone whose job involves physical labour, for instance on a farm, in a factory
someone whose job involves physical labour, for instance on a farm, in a factory, or aboard a ship
The farm hired several extra hands to help with the apple harvest this year.
extra + hands — temporary workers for a specific task
Nicholas started work as a hand on a cargo ship at the age of twenty.
a hand on + [place] — worker at a specific location
The factory needs more hands to keep up with the growing number of orders.
Mr. Lien was the best hand on the ranch and knew every tool in the shed.
文法句型
noun + hand (farm hand, factory hand)
hand + on/in + place
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense refers to the person, not the body part. Often used with a modifier: 'farm hand', 'factory hand', 'deck hand'. The plural 'hired hands' treats workers as a group.
常見錯誤
7. a person who works on a ship as part of its crew
a person who works on a ship as part of its crew
The old hand showed the new sailors how to tie the ropes correctly.
collocation: old hand (experienced sailor)
Captain Mendez thanked all hands for their hard work during the long voyage.
all hands (entire crew)
Daichi signed on as a hand on a fishing boat heading to the North Sea.
The experienced hands taught the young crew members how to read the wind.
- sailor
more general term for anyone who works on a ship
- crew member
neutral term, not exclusive to ships
- seaman
formal or official term for a ship worker
用法筆記
Often paired with 'old' (an old hand = an experienced sailor) or 'all' (all hands = the entire crew). Most common in nautical contexts, though 'old hand' can extend to any experienced worker in a field.
常見錯誤
8. how much someone or something is involved in what happens, or the effect they ha
how much someone or something is involved in what happens, or the effect they have on it
It is believed that Ravindra had a hand in organising the community festival.
have a hand in (be involved in)
The investigation showed that no one in the company had a hand in the mistake.
Yael had no hand in the decision to close the school.
Historians still debate the degree of the general's hand in the political changes.
- involvement
neutral term; more formal than 'hand'
- role
emphasises the part played
- participation
more formal; suggests active joining in
- influence
emphasises the effect on the outcome
文法句型
have a hand in something
have no hand in something
用法筆記
Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'have a hand in something' (be involved) or 'have no hand in something' (not be involved). Subject is usually a person, group, or organisation.
常見錯誤
9. the action of striking the palms together repeatedly to show enjoyment or approv
the action of striking the palms together repeatedly to show enjoyment or approval, especially after a performance
The audience gave the pianist a big hand after his final piece.
give someone a big hand (applaud someone)
Let us give a big hand to the volunteers who made this event possible.
The children's choir received a warm hand from their proud parents.
Esme got a huge hand for her solo performance at the school concert.
- applause
more formal; same meaning
- round of applause
more explicit; commonly used in the same contexts
- clapping
describes the action itself rather than the reception
文法句型
give someone a (big) hand
get a (big) hand
用法筆記
Always used in the singular with an adjective (a big hand, a warm hand). Refers to sustained group applause, not a single clap. Common in show business and public-speaking contexts.
常見錯誤
10. the particular style in which a person writes letters and words by hand
the particular style in which a person writes letters and words by hand
Théo's hand is very neat and easy for the teacher to read.
somebody's hand (handwriting style)
I recognised my grandmother's hand on the envelope immediately when it arrived.
The letter was written in a small, elegant hand that I did not know.
Élise's hand has become harder to read as she has grown older.
The note was written in a shaky hand, as if the writer was very nervous.
- handwriting
more direct and common; preferred in modern English
- script
focuses on the style of joined-up writing
- penmanship
formal; refers to the skill of writing by hand
文法句型
somebody's hand
in somebody's hand
用法筆記
Typically used with a possessive adjective (my hand, his hand) or 'in + adjective + hand' (in a neat hand). Commonly used to recognise whose writing something is. 'Hand' in this sense is always singular.
11. a unit used to measure how tall a horse is from the ground to the highest point
a unit used to measure how tall a horse is from the ground to the highest point of its shoulder, equal to four inches or about ten centimetres
The pony measured fourteen hands high at the shoulder.
number + hands high (height measurement)
Hassan's new horse stands sixteen hands tall and is very gentle with children.
A horse that is fifteen hands is considered a good size for riding.
The veterinarian recorded the foal's height at twelve hands in her notes.
The buyer asked the seller how many hands the Arabian mare measured at the shoulder.
文法句型
number + hands (adjective)
number + hands high
用法筆記
Exclusively used to measure horses and similar equines. One hand = 4 inches (10.16 cm). Always plural with numbers ("fifteen hands", not "fifteen hand"). The word 'high' or 'tall' often follows the number ("fifteen hands high").
常見錯誤
12. one of two opposing views or positions in a discussion, or one particular aspect
one of two opposing views or positions in a discussion, or one particular aspect of a situation
On one hand the flat is big, but on the other the rent is high.
on the one hand... on the other hand (contrasting points)
Aisha saw difficulties on every hand and did not know where to start fixing them.
On the one hand the new train is faster, but on the other hand it costs more.
Ravindra examined every hand of the debate before forming his opinion.
Parents on every hand complained about the changes to the school schedule.
- side
more direct; works in the same contexts
- aspect
broader; refers to any feature, not necessarily opposing
- point of view
focuses on the perspective rather than the position
文法句型
on the one hand... on the other hand...
on every hand
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed expression 'on the one hand ... on the other hand' for contrasting two points. 'On every hand' (from all sides / in every respect) is less common but still used in formal or literary English. Not used in the plural to mean 'hands of an issue'.
常見錯誤
hand — idiom
1. a reference to (Billings) Learned Hand (1872–1961), one of the most respected Am
a reference to (Billings) Learned Hand (1872–1961), one of the most respected American judges in US history, whose legal writings on free speech and judicial power continue to shape modern court decisions.
For her constitutional law seminar, Camila studied three key rulings by Learned Hand.
proper name referring to the judge Learned Hand
Professor Hassan quoted Learned Hand's famous words about the spirit of liberty.
The university library owns a rare collection of letters written by Learned Hand.
When writing her thesis, Amira compared Learned Hand's judicial philosophy with that of Oliver Wendell Holmes.
In law school textbooks, Learned Hand is often cited in discussions about free speech and democracy.
用法筆記
This is not a common idiom — it is a biographical reference to the American judge Learned Hand, whose surname is the word 'hand'. His opinions and writings appear frequently in US law textbooks and court citations.
hand — adverb
1. done by using the hands to create, make, or finish something, instead of using a
done by using the hands to create, make, or finish something, instead of using a machine or tool that does the work automatically.
Grandma Soraya knitted this sweater by hand for her grandson's birthday.
collocation: by hand — done manually
The clay pots were shaped by hand before being fired in the kiln.
passive structure: were shaped by hand
Quan's hand-knitted sweater took him three months to finish.
Aylin bought a hand-carved wooden bowl at the local weekend market.
The wedding invitations were hand-delivered to each guest's home.
- manually
more formal; can refer to any non-automated process, not only hand use
- by manual labor
emphasises physical effort rather than skill or craftsmanship
- by machine
the direct opposite — using a mechanical device instead of hands
- automatically
broader opposite covering any self-operating process
文法句型
by hand
hand-[past participle] (hand-made, hand-written)
用法筆記
This adverb most commonly appears in the phrase 'by hand' or as the prefix 'hand-' attached to a past participle. The 'hand-' prefix usually takes a hyphen when joined to a past participle, though some long-established compounds (handmade, handwritten) are written as single words without a hyphen.