handed
- 1Past tense and past participle of hand. Use this form when you talk about giving something to someone before now.
She handed her ticket to the driver.
He handed the toy back to his little sister.
Note
- 2Having a certain number or kind of hands.
The old sword was so heavy it had to be two-handed.
Most kids turn out to be right-handed.
Note
- 3Having a particular way of dealing with or treating other people.
The new manager was too heavy-handed with the staff.
A good referee stays even-handed with both teams.
Note
- 4Having a shape that cannot match its own mirror image, like your left and right hands.
Like your two hands: they look alike but you can't lay one exactly on top of the other.
A spiral staircase is handed, turning one way but not the other.
Many sugar molecules are handed, coming in left and right forms.
Similarchiral
Oppositeachiral
Note
Less common meaning
- 5Holding hands, with two people joined hand in hand.
Into their inmost bower, / Handed they went.
1667, John Milton, Paradise LostHere, Handed means holding hands, joined hand in hand.Note
Showing meanings only.
handed is a form of hand
hand, verb: To pass something to someone, or to give them something such as a job or a chance. Full entry
- Spelling
- hand → handed: add -ed
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of handed apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
From the word hand plus the ending -ed.