# handful

Pronunciation: say "HAND-fuul" /ˈhæn(d)fʊl/

## Noun

1. The quantity that one hand can grasp or hold at a single time.
   - Simple: As much of something as one hand can hold at once.
   - _She scooped up a handful of dry rice and let it fall back into the sack._
   - _The child clutched a handful of coins in his small fist._
2. A small number of something, usually around five.
   - Simple: A small number of people or things, often about five.
   - _A handful of investors controlled most of the company's shares._
   - _Only a handful of survivors remained after the long winter._
3. A group or number of things gathered together; a bunch.
   - Simple: A group or bunch of things gathered together.
   - _She tied a handful of herbs together and hung them to dry._
   - _A handful of bright ribbons decorated the wrapped gift._
4. A person or thing that can only be managed with difficulty. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A person or thing that is hard to manage or control.
   - _The toddler proved to be a handful during the long flight._
   - _Looking after five energetic kids at once is a handful for any teacher._
5. A prison sentence lasting five years. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A prison sentence of five years.
   - _After the trial, she was looking at a handful behind bars._
   - _He'd already done one handful before this latest arrest._

## Noun

6. A unit of length equal to the breadth of a hand; four inches. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: An old unit of length equal to four inches, about the width of a hand.
   - _The carpenter trimmed the board a handful shorter to fit the frame._
   - _The old wall stood several handfuls thick at its base._

## Origin

From Middle English handful, from Old English handfull, from Proto-Germanic *handufullō, built from the roots for "hand" (*handuz) and "full" (*fullaz). It is equivalent to hand + full, and is related to Dutch handvol, German Handvoll, and Swedish handfull.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/handful (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).