hand

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Hand

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A human hand.

[ English

Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg.
though	get	eyes	#151: hand	young	place	give

Wikipedia has an article on:

Hand

Wikipedia

[ Etymology

Old English hand. Cognate with Dutch hand, German Hand, Swedish hand.

[ Pronunciation

IPA: /hænd/, SAMPA: /h{nd/
Audio (US)^{help, file}

Rhymes: -ænd

[ Noun

Singular
hand

Plural
hands

hand (plural hands)

That part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals; manus; paw. See manus.
That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand; as,

(a) A limb of certain animals, as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.

(b) An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour or minute hand of a clock
In long measure, two different lengths:
- (obsolete) Three inches, not to be confused with; and,
- Four inches, a hand’s breadth, used in measuring the height of horses.
A side; part, camp; direction, either right or left.
- On this hand and that hand, were hangings. — Exodus 38:15
- The Protestants were then on the winning hand — Milton
Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity.
- He had a great mind to try his hand at a Spectator. — Addison
(archaic) Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance.
- To change the hand in carrying on the war. — Clarendon
- Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand. — Judges 6:36
An agent; a servant, or manual laborer, especialy in compounds; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty; a performer more or less skillful; as,

an old hand at speaking.
- A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time, ever to be hoped for. — Locke
- I was always reckoned a lively hand at a simile. — Hazlitt
Handwriting; style of penmanship; as,

A good, bad or running hand. Hence, a signature.
- I say she never did invent this letter; This is a man’s invention and his hand — Shakespeare, As You Like It, IV-iii
- Some writs require a judge’s hand — Burril
- 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
  
  I found written on the other side, in a very good, clear hand, this short message...
Personal possession; ownership; hence, control; direction; management; — usually in the plural.
- Receiving in hand one year’s tribute. — Knolles
- Milton, Albinus
  
  ...found means to keep in his hands the government of Britain.
That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once; as

(a) (Card Playing): The set of cards held by a player.

(b) (Tobacco Manufacturing): A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
Applause.

Give him a hand.
Agency in transmission from one person to another; as,

to buy at first hand, that is, from the producer, or when new; at second hand, that is, when no longer in the producer’s hand, or when not new.
(obsolete) Rate; price.
- Business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch. — Bacon
Each of the pointers on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day.
(firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.
The collective noun for a bunch of bananas.

Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as,

(a) Activity; operation; work; — in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection.

His hand will be against every man. — Genesis 16:12

(b) Power; might; supremacy; — often in the Scriptures.

With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you. — Ezekiel 20:33.

(d) Contract; — commonly of marriage; as, to ask the hand; to pledge the hand.

[ Quotations

1611 — King James Version of the Bible, Luke 1:1

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us...