Hand (noun) — the part of the human body at the end of the arm, with a palm and five fingers. Also: a pointer on a clock or watch; a round of applause.
Hand (verb) — to give or pass something directly to someone.
What Does Hand Mean?
Hand comes from Old English hand (also spelled hond), directly related to Old Norse hönd, Old High German hant, and Gothic handus. The Proto-Germanic root is *handuz. The word has been in continuous use for over 1,500 years and is one of the most common nouns in the English language.
As a noun, hand has several distinct senses. Its core meaning is the body part at the end of your arm — "She raised her hand." It also refers to the pointer on a clock face — "The minute hand moves faster than the hour hand." In informal contexts it can mean a round of applause — "Let's give the speaker a big hand." In older or literary English it can mean a person's handwriting — "I recognised her hand immediately."
As a verb, hand means to pass something directly to another person: "Could you hand me that pen?" It forms many useful phrasal verbs: hand in (submit), hand out (distribute), hand over (transfer control), hand back (return), and hand down (pass to a younger generation).
Hand also appears in an enormous number of fixed expressions and idioms. The phrase on the other hand — used in the provided example sentence — is one of the most common discourse markers in written English, introducing a contrasting viewpoint. See Cambridge Dictionary's full entry on “hand” for more examples.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level / Note |
|---|---|
| Please wash your hands before dinner. | A2 — basic noun, plural form |
| Could you hand me the salt, please? | B1 — verb: to pass directly |
| On the other hand, spoken and written English have different vocabulary needs. | B1 — fixed expression: contrasting viewpoint |
| She gained first-hand experience of working in a hospital during her placement. | B2 — compound adjective: direct, from the source |
| The outgoing director handed over the project files to her successor at the end of the quarter. | C1 — phrasal verb: to transfer responsibility formally |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| shake hands | They shook hands and agreed on the deal. |
| lend a hand | Could you lend me a hand with these boxes? |
| on the other hand | It is cheap; on the other hand, the quality is poor. |
| by hand | All the cards were made by hand. |
| hand in hand | They walked hand in hand along the beach. |
| give someone a hand | The audience gave the performers a big hand. |
| first-hand | I have first-hand experience of the problem. |
| in good hands | Don't worry — the project is in good hands. |
| hand over | He was asked to hand over his phone at the border. |
| wash one's hands of | She washed her hands of the whole affair. |
Usage Notes
Noun or verb? The word hand functions as both a noun and a verb without any change in spelling or pronunciation. Context makes the difference: "Give me your hand" (noun) versus "Please hand me your ticket" (verb).
Phrasal verbs: The phrasal verbs formed with hand are separable. You can say "hand in your essay" or "hand your essay in". When using a pronoun, separation is required: "hand it in" (not "hand in it").
Discourse marker: On the other hand always contrasts with a previously stated point. It must follow a statement of one side of an argument before you can introduce the other side. Do not use it to start a paragraph unless the contrasting idea was established earlier.
Register: Give someone a hand (applause) is informal/spoken. In formal writing, prefer "applaud" or "received a warm reception".
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
On the other hand, I like coffee. (no contrasting point established first)
Tea is refreshing. On the other hand, coffee gives you more energy. (contrast clearly set up)
She handed in it yesterday. (pronoun must come before the particle)
She handed it in yesterday.
He shook her hand hands. (redundant plural)
He shook her hand. / They shook hands. (both correct — note the difference)
Word Forms
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun singular | the hand, a hand |
| Noun plural | both hands, shake hands |
| Verb base | Please hand me that file. |
| Verb 3rd person singular | She hands out the worksheets. |
| Verb past simple | He handed over the keys. |
| Verb present participle | She is handing back the tests. |
| Compound adjective | first-hand experience, second-hand information |
| Adverb | made by hand, delivered by hand |
Related Words
Synonyms
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Frequently Asked Questions about “hand”
What does the word hand mean?
Hand has three main meanings. As a noun it can refer to (1) the body part at the end of your arm — 'She waved her hand'; (2) a pointer on a clock — 'The minute hand reached twelve'; or (3) a round of applause — 'Give the team a big hand.' As a verb, hand means to pass or give something directly to someone: 'Please hand me the book.'
What is the difference between hand and give?
Both hand and give can mean to pass something to someone, but hand implies physical, direct transfer — usually placing something into another person's hand. Give is broader and can involve putting something down, sending it, or transferring it in abstract ways. 'Hand me the pen' suggests a direct passing, while 'give me the report' can include emailing or dropping it off.
What are the most common collocations with hand?
Common collocations include: shake hands, lend a hand, on the other hand, by hand, hand in hand, give someone a hand, first-hand experience, hand over (to give control or ownership), and wash your hands of (to refuse further responsibility). Many phrasal verbs also use hand: hand in, hand out, hand back, hand down.
What does 'on the other hand' mean?
'On the other hand' is a discourse marker used to introduce a contrasting or balancing point. For example: 'Smartphones are very convenient. On the other hand, they can be a major distraction.' It is one of the most useful linking phrases for writing balanced arguments and is common in IELTS Task 2 essays.
What is the plural of hand?
The plural is hands: 'Wash your hands before eating.' The verb form is regular: hand / hands / handed / handing. As a countable noun, hand can always be used in the plural. When used idiomatically, some expressions are always plural: 'shake hands', 'in good hands', 'all hands on deck'.
What does 'hand in' mean as a phrasal verb?
'Hand in' means to submit or deliver something officially, especially written work or a resignation: 'You must hand in your assignment by Friday.' It is separable: 'hand it in' is equally correct. Compare 'hand out' (to distribute to several people) and 'hand back' (to return something to its owner).
What is the etymology of the word hand?
Hand comes from Old English 'hand' or 'hond', which is related to the Old Norse 'hönd', Old High German 'hant', and Gothic 'handus'. The Proto-Germanic root is *handuz. The word has been in continuous use for over 1,500 years and appears in some of the earliest surviving English texts. Its wide range of idiomatic uses reflects how central it has been to human experience and language.
How do you use hand as a verb?
As a verb, hand follows the pattern hand + object + to + person or hand + person + object: 'She handed the keys to him' or 'She handed him the keys.' Both patterns are correct. Common phrasal verbs formed with hand include: hand in (submit), hand out (distribute), hand over (transfer control), hand back (return), and hand down (pass to a younger generation).
What does 'first-hand' mean?
First-hand (also written firsthand) means direct, from the original source, without any intermediary: 'I have first-hand experience of living abroad.' The opposite is 'second-hand', meaning obtained from someone who was not directly involved: 'I only heard about it second-hand.' Both are commonly used as adjectives (a first-hand account) and adverbs (I saw it first-hand).
How can I practise the word hand in English?
Try LexFizz's Flash Cards to review hand and its related vocabulary, or use the Complete the Sentence exercise to practise collocations such as 'on the other hand' and 'lend a hand' in context. Keeping a collocation notebook — writing down phrases like 'shake hands', 'hand in', and 'by hand' with example sentences — is one of the most effective ways to learn high-frequency words like hand.