handkerchief
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈhæŋkəːt͡ʃɪf//
- United Kingdom/[ˈhæŋkəːt͡ʃɪf]/
- United Kingdom//ˈhæŋkəːt͡ʃiːf//
- United Kingdom/[ˈhæŋkəːt͡ʃɪi̯f]/
A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands.
noun
- 1
A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands.
He sneezed into his handkerchief during the meeting.
Mr. Banks’ panama hat was in one hand, while the other drew a handkerchief across his perspiring brow.
Harriet, who was as a rule good at handkerchiefs, discovered to her annoyance that on this particular morning she had provided herself only with an elegant square of linen, suitable for receiving such rare and joyful drops as might be expected on one’s honeymoon. Peter came to the rescue with what might have been a young flag of truce.
- 2
A piece of cloth shaped like a handkerchief to be worn about the neck; a neckerchief or neckcloth.
Etymology
From hand + kerchief.
Forms
- plural
- handkerchiefs, handkerchieves
handkerchief · A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands.
handle · The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the…handled · Having a handle or handles, often of a specified number or…handler · One who handles something (especially manually) or someone.