handful

hand·ful

Use handful in a sentence

A handful of peanuts.

noun

The definition of a handful is defined as a small amount or the amount of something that would fit in your hand.
1. An example of a handful is the number of people in the audience for the local music show.
2. An example of a handful is the amount of peanuts that fit in your hand when you reach into a bowl.
Handful is defined as much as you can handle of something.
An example of a handful is a small child who is overactive.

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"handful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful>.

APA Style

handful. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful

handful

noun

pl. -·fuls·

as much or as many as the hand will hold
a relatively small number or amount: a mere handful of people
Informal as much as one is able to manage; someone or something hard to manage

Origin of handful

Middle English from Old English handfull

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"handful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful>.

APA Style

handful. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful

handful

noun

pl. hand·fuls

The amount that a hand can hold.
A small, undefined number or quantity: only a handful of people on the street.
Informal One that is difficult to control or handle: The hyperactive toddler is a real handful.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"handful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful>.

APA Style

handful. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handful

Noun

(plural handfuls or handsful)

As much as the hand will grasp or contain. - Joseph Addison
A small quantity, usually approximately equal to five, the number of fingers on a hand.
This handful of men were tied to very hard duty. - Fuller
Something which can only be managed with difficulty.
Those twins are a real handful to look after.

Origin

From Middle English, from Old English handful (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handfullą, *handfullō, *handfulljô (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”), *fullaz (“full”), equivalent to hand +‎ full (“fullness, plenty”). Cognate with West Frisian hânfol (“handful”), Dutch handvol (“handful”), Danish håndfuld (“handful”), Swedish handfull (“handfull”), Icelandic handfylli (“handful”).