the act or an instance of picking up, turning over, or touching something treatment, as of a theme in literature the process by which a commodity is packaged, transported, etc (as modifier): handling charges the act of receiving property that one knows or believes to be stolen
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
han•dle /ˈhændəl/USA pronunciation
n., v., -dled, -dling.
n. [countable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025n. [countable]
- a part of a thing made to be taken or held by the hand:I need the rake with the long handle.
- Slang Termsa person's name.
v.
- to touch, pick up, carry, or feel with the hand or hands;
use the hands on;
take hold of:[~ + object]He handled the painting carefully. - to manage, deal with, or be responsible for:[~ + object]handled that angry customer with tact.
- to use or employ, esp. in a particular manner;
manipulate:[~ + object]That artist has learned to handle color expertly in his paintings. - to manage, direct, train, or control:[~ + object]The general could handle troops effectively.
- to behave or perform in a particular way when handled, directed, managed, etc:[no object]The jet was handling poorly.
- to trade in:[~ + object]That store doesn't handle computer software.
- Idioms get or have a handle on, [~ + object] to obtain or possess an understanding of:He couldn't get a handle on their problems.
han•dling
(hand′ling),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- a touching, grasping, or using with the hands.
- the manner of treating or dealing with something;
management;
treatment. - the manual or mechanical method or process by which something is moved, carried, transported, etc.
adj.
- of or pertaining to the process of moving, transporting, delivering, working with, etc.:The factory added a 10 percent handling charge for delivery.
- bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English handlung (noun, nominal). See handle, -ing1
han•dle
(han′dl),USA pronunciation n., v., -dled, -dling.
n.
v.t.
v.i.
han′dle•a•ble, adj.
han′dle•a•bil′i•ty, n.
han′dle•less, adj.
n.
- a part of a thing made specifically to be grasped or held by the hand.
- that which may be held, seized, grasped, or taken advantage of in effecting a purpose:The clue was a handle for solving the mystery.
- Slang Terms
- a person's name, esp. the given name.
- a person's alias, nickname, or code name.
- a name or term by which something is known, described, or explained.
- Gamesthe total amount wagered on an event, series of events, or for an entire season or seasons, as at a gambling casino or in horse racing:The track handle for the day was over a million dollars.
- Businessthe total amount of money taken in by a business concern on one transaction, sale, event, or series of transactions, or during a specific period, esp. by a theater, nightclub, sports arena, resort hotel, or the like.
- Textileshand (def. 27).
- Informal Termsa way of getting ahead or gaining an advantage:The manufacturer regards the new appliance as its handle on the Christmas market.
- Informal Terms, Idioms fly off the handle, to become very agitated or angry, esp. without warning or adequate reason:I can't imagine why he flew off the handle like that.
- Idioms get or have a handle on, to acquire an understanding or knowledge of:Can you get a handle on what your new boss expects?
v.t.
- to touch, pick up, carry, or feel with the hand or hands;
use the hands on;
take hold of. - to manage, deal with, or be responsible for:My wife handles the household accounts. This computer handles all our billing.
- to use or employ, esp. in a particular manner;
manipulate:to handle color expertly in painting. - to manage, direct, train, or control:to handle troops.
- to deal with (a subject, theme, argument, etc.):The poem handled the problem of instinct versus intellect.
- to deal with or treat in a particular way:to handle a person with tact.
- to deal or trade in:to handle dry goods.
v.i.
- to behave or perform in a particular way when handled, directed, managed, etc.:The troops handled well. The jet was handling poorly.
- bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English handel, Old English hand(e)le, derivative of hand; (verb, verbal) Middle English handelen, Old English handlian (cognate with German handlen, Old Norse hǫndla to seize); derivative of hand
han′dle•a•bil′i•ty, n.
han′dle•less, adj.
- 16.See corresponding entry in Unabridged sell, vend, carry, market; hawk, peddle.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
the part of a utensil, drawer, etc, designed to be held in order to move, use, or pick up the object a glass beer mug with a handle a person's name or title - a CB radio slang name for call sign
an opportunity, reason, or excuse for doing something: his background served as a handle for their mockery the quality, as of textiles, perceived by touching or feeling - fly off the handle ⇒
to become suddenly extremely angry
to pick up and hold, move, or touch with the hands to operate or employ using the hands: the boy handled the reins well to have power or control over: my wife handles my investments to manage successfully: a secretary must be able to handle clients to discuss (a theme, subject, etc) to deal with or treat in a specified way: I was handled with great tact to trade or deal in (specified merchandise) - (intransitive)
to react or respond in a specified way to operation or control: the car handles well on bends
'handling charges' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):