handy
adjectifnomnomnomcourant dans les dialogues
- //ˈhæn.di//
Easy to use, useful.
adjectif
- 1
Easy to use, useful.
Some people regard duct tape as a handy fix-all.
- 2
Nearby, within reach.
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?
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.
- 3
Dexterous, skilful. (of a person)
She's very handy: she made all her own kitchen cupboards.
- 4
argotPhysically 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.
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.
- 5
Of a freight ship: having a small cargo capacity (less than 40,000 DWT); belonging to the handysize class.
Étymologie
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”).
nom
- 1
The hand.
Clap, clap handies Mammie's wee, wee ain.
Étymologie
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English handy From hand + -y (diminutive suffix).
nom
- 1
argotA handgun.
Look left and right, when I cross these roads, I don’t wanna get fright We got handies and shotties, which one should you decide?
- 2
argotA hand job.
Étymologie
Clipping of handgun and hand job followed by -y (diminutive suffix).
nom
- 1
(mostly used by Germans) Synonym of mobile phone.
An important field of application for small rechargeable lithium ion batteries is that of the fast growing market of cellular phones or ‘handies’. 277,000,000 handies were sold worldwide in 1999.
“I’m afraid Mister Franklyn is occupied until seven o’clock. He shall call when he breaks. I’ll take a handy to receive calls—”[…]The distance frees him to take phone calls on his handy.
Life was good and quiet until six weeks ago when he received a phone call on his handy from Unbekannt Nummer --Unknown Number.
Étymologie
Disputed; see German Handy: according to some commentators, this meaning is originally from German (a condensed form of Handfunktelefon), whereas others claim there was an early, but now neglected, antetype of it in English (from etymology 1).
Formes
- pluriel
- handies
- comparatif
- handier
- superlatif
- handiest