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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

hand

/hænd/
The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in humans and other primates, and the corresponding part in many other animals.

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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English hond, hand, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz.

    See also Dutch and Swedish hand (“hand”), Danish hånd, German Hand, West Frisian hân. Perhaps compare Old Swedish hinna (“to gain”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰-𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽 (fra-hinþan, “to take captive, capture”); and Latvian sīts (“hunting spear”), Ancient Greek κεντέω (kentéō, “prick”), Albanian çandër (“pitchfork, prop”).

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English handen, honden, from the noun (see above); and also from henden (> English hend), from Old English *hendan, ġehendan (“to seize by hand, grasp, hold”), from Proto-West Germanic *handijan, from Proto-Germanic *handijaną (“to take by hand, grasp”), from the noun (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian handa, henda (“to grasp, seize”), Middle Low German handen, henden (in derivatives), Dutch handen, henden (“to arrange, dispose, be handy”), Dutch overhandigen (“to hand, hand over”), Middle High German handen (“to cut, hew”), Middle High German henden (“to give hands to; take hold of, seize”), Old Norse henda (“to grasp, seize, take by hand”).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishhond
      • inheritedOld Englishhand
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*handu
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*handuz “hand”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishhanden
      • inheritedOld English*hendan
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*handijan
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*handijaną “to take by hand, grasp”

    Related: English hend, Swedish hand, Danish hånd, German Hand, West Frisian hân, Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽, Latvian sīts, Ancient Greek κεντέω, Albanian çandër, Old Frisian handa, Middle Low German handen, Dutch handen, Dutch overhandigen, Middle High German handen, Middle High German henden, Old Norse henda

    Words built on it: on hand, right-hand, hand-out

    Meanings

    noun
    1. The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in humans and other primates, and the corresponding part in many other animals.
    2. A limb of certain animals, such as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
    3. An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour and minute hands on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day.
    4. The set of cards held by a player.
    5. A round of a card game.
    6. A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
    verb
    1. To give, pass or transmit with the hand, literally or figuratively.
    2. To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct.
    3. To manage.
    4. To seize; to lay hands on.
    5. To pledge by the hand; to handfast.
    6. To furl (a sail).

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: hand