handy en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈhæn.di/
- (US) audio
- hăn'di
Etymology
From Middle English handy, hondi (attested in personal names), alteration of earlier hendi (“handy, skillful”), from Old English *hendiġ (“skillful”) (attested in listhendiġ (“skilled in art”)), from Proto-West Germanic *handīg, *handag, *handug, from Proto-Germanic *handugaz (“handy, skillful, nimble”), from *handuz (“hand”), equivalent to hand + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian jäntich (“handy”), Middle Low German handich (“skillful, apt”), Middle High German handec, hendec (“manual, hand-held”), Old Norse hǫndugr (“efficient”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐌲𐍃 (handugs, “wise, clever”). Akin to Dutch handig (“handy”), Norwegian hendig (“handy”), Swedish händig (“handy”).
Meanings
-
Easy to use, useful.
Some people regard duct tape as a handy fix-all.
-
Nearby, within reach.
And finally, have potholders and a stack of old towels handy before you begin. Dye splashes and drips may occur, so protect surfaces and be prepared to clean countertops.
2026, Katherine Augustine, “Dyeing in the Baking Aisle”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 33:You wouldn’t have a screwdriver handy, would you?
I keep a first-aid kit handy in case of emergency.
Have you a sheet of paper handy?
1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
-
Dexterous, skilful. (of a person)
She's very handy: she made all her own kitchen cupboards.
-
(slang) Physically violent; tending to use one's fists.
We had a sergeant who was a bit handy with the rougher elements. He dealt with them a little bit differently to what I do.
1974, William Purcell, British Police in a Changing Society, page 68:The Sloanes said he had nothing on them, that he threatened them, made up a lot of lies. Tried to attack them, got a bit handy.
2012, Tania Carver, Choked:
- Of a freight ship: having a small cargo capacity (less than 40,000 DWT); belonging to the handysize class.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| handiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| handier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| hendy | alternative, dialectal, obsolete | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
come in handy · handicam · handiman · handwriting on the wall · handyman · handiness · handyperson · unhandy · handiwoman · handywoman · handyish · handily
Synonyms
crafty · to hand · at hand · on hand
Translations (106)
fi taitava (dexterous) · ga sásta (easy to use) · km នៅជិតដៃ (within reach) · ja 便利な (easy to use) · bg удобен (easy to use) · pdt hendich (easy to use) · de in Reichweite (within reach) · ia commode (easy to use) · pl dogodny (easy to use) · ga acrach (easy to use) · nl handig (easy to use) · fa دم دست (within reach) · pl wygodny (easy to use) · ru поле́зный (easy to use) · it utile (easy to use) · pt à mão (within reach) · bg изкусен (dexterous) · ja 器用な (dexterous) · cs šikovný (dexterous) · ja 手軽な (easy to use) · id terjangkau (within reach) · fa در دسترس (within reach) · es hábil (easy to use) · es diestro (dexterous) · es a mano (within reach) · sh пра̀ктичан (easy to use) · fi kätevä (easy to use) · hu kéznél (within reach) · es práctico (easy to use) · fa ماهر (dexterous) · pdt hendich (within reach) · sh sprȅtan (dexterous) · cmn 靈巧 /灵巧 (dexterous) · pt prático (easy to use) · de praktisch (easy to use) · cmn 方便 (easy to use) · it pratico (easy to use) · cmn 手頭 /手头 (within reach) · es manitas (dexterous) · fr commode (easy to use) · ja 手近な (within reach) · id cakap (dexterous) · pt útil (easy to use) · id praktis (easy to use) · he זמין (within reach) · gd goireasach (easy to use) · fi kätevä (dexterous) · ca a mà (within reach) · ru практи́чный (easy to use) · ga áisiúil (easy to use) · ru иску́сный (dexterous) · de zur Hand (within reach) · el πρόχειρος (within reach) · de anstellig (easy to use) · sh спре̏тан (dexterous) · sh nadòmak (easy to use) · fa حرفهای (dexterous) · sh при́ручан (within reach) · ru ло́вкий (dexterous) · sh príručan (within reach) · fr pratique (easy to use) · nl bij de hand (within reach) · ca pràctic (easy to use) · pt fácil (within reach) · fa بهدردبخور (easy to use) · cmn 手邊 /手边 (within reach) · nl handig (dexterous) · es mañoso (dexterous) · fa سودمند (easy to use) · id mahir (dexterous) · pl podręczny (within reach) · vec còmet (easy to use) · ru уме́лый (dexterous) · ru портати́вный (easy to use) · fi käden ulottuvilla (within reach) · ro îndemânatic (dexterous) · gd deas (dexterous) · bg полезен (easy to use) · cmn 近便 (within reach) · bg сръчен (dexterous) · cmn 有用 (easy to use) · ga sásta (dexterous) · es cerca (within reach) · sh pràktičan (easy to use) · la utilis (easy to use) · de griffbereit (within reach) · sh надо̀мак (easy to use) · ru кста́ти (easy to use) · es apañado (dexterous) · ro îndemânatic (easy to use) · cs praktický (easy to use) · gd tapaidh (dexterous) · bg под ръка (within reach) · ro la îndemână (within reach) · nl binnen handbereik (within reach) · cmn 麻利 (dexterous) · cs užitečný (easy to use) · ia utile (easy to use) · fr à portée de main (within reach) · de handlich (easy to use) · cs po ruce (within reach) · el εύκαιρος (within reach) · ru удо́бный (easy to use) · ga sásta (within reach) · es hábil (dexterous) · it comodo (within reach)