HANDY (handier, handiest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: handier    , handiest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Handy mean? 

• HANDY (noun)
  The noun HANDY has 1 sense:

1. United States blues musician who transcribed and published traditional blues music (1873-1958)

  Familiarity information: HANDY used as a noun is very rare.

• HANDY (adjective)
  The adjective HANDY has 3 senses:

1. easy to reach

2. useful and convenient

3. skillful with the hands

  Familiarity information: HANDY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HANDY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

United States blues musician who transcribed and published traditional blues music (1873-1958)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Handy; W. C. Handy; William Christopher Handy

Instance hypernyms:

composer (someone who composes music as a profession)

• HANDY (adjective)

Comparative: handier   
Superlative: handiest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Easy to reach

Synonyms:

handy; ready to hand

Context example:

found a handy spot for the can opener

Similar:

accessible (capable of being reached)

Derivation:

handiness (the quality of being at hand when needed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Useful and convenient

Context example:

a handy gadget

Similar:

useful; utile (being of use or service)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Skillful with the hands

Context example:

handy with an axe

Similar:

adroit (quick or skillful or adept in action or thought)

Derivation:

handiness (skillfulness with the hands)

 Context examples 

Redruth retreated from his place in the gallery and dropped into the boat, which we then brought round to the ship's counter, to be handier for Captain Smollett.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Said Mr. Morris:—I have brought some Winchesters; they are pretty handy in a crowd, and there may be wolves.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“By the way, Hump, as I have remarked, you are a handy man,” Wolf Larsen began, when my work was done.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As tritium released by nuclear tests shows up in rainfall, it has become a handy tool in studying hydrological cycle.

(Modern pollutants can reach deep fossil aquifers, SciDev.Net)

But this last was a handy fellow, and after two hour’s work, the door stood open.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

They stoop and heave like handy ship men.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I wish we could get the bell mended; but Betsey is a very handy little messenger.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"Better have a club handy," Matt warned.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I thought it would be handy for you if we fixed it at the George, at Crawley.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

One thing led to another, and then with that dagger so handy the end soon came.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)