handle
[noun]
Synonyms:
- grip, haft, hilt, stock
[verb]
Synonyms:
- hold, feel, finger, grasp, pick up, touch
- control, direct, guide, manage, manipulate, manoeuvre
- deal with, cope with, manage

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Related Words: test, try, manipulate, direct, guide, manage, operate, run, work, brandish, flourish, shake, wave, aim, lay, level, point, conduct, control

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English Thesaurus: deal with something, handle, tackle, see to/attend to somebody/something, take care of something, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. han‧dle¹ S2 W2 /ˈhændl/ verb
[Word Family: noun: handle, handler, handling; verb: handle]

1. DO WORK [transitive] to do the things that are necessary to complete a job:
I handled most of the paperwork.
The case is being handled by a top lawyer.
The finance department handles all the accounts.
Computers can handle huge amounts of data.

2. DEAL WITH A SITUATION [transitive] to deal with a situation or problem by behaving in a particular way and making particular decisions:
The headmaster handled the situation very well.
I knew I had handled the matter badly.
Leave it to me. I can handle it.
Most customers were satisfied with the way their complaints were handled.
Opposition leaders will be watching carefully to see how the Prime Minister handles the crisis.

3. DEAL WITH A PERSON [transitive] to deal with a person or behave towards them in a particular way, especially in order to keep them happy:
Some customers are quite difficult to handle.

4. NOT BECOME UPSET [transitive] to not become upset in a difficult situation:
She can’t handle it when people criticize her.
He doesn’t handle stress very well.

5. HOLD [transitive] to touch something or pick it up and hold it in your hands:
He had never handled a weapon before.
We teach the children to handle the animals gently.
He was roughly handled by the mob.

6. CONTROL A VEHICLE
a) [transitive] to control the movement of a vehicle or an animal:
I didn’t know if I’d be able to handle such a large vehicle.
b) [intransitive] the way a vehicle handles is how easy it is to control
handles well/badly
The car handles well, even on wet roads.

7. MOVE GOODS [transitive] to move goods from one place to another:
The Post Office handles nearly 2 billion letters and parcels over the Christmas period.

8. BUY/SELL GOODS [transitive] to buy or sell goods:
Bennet was charged with handling stolen goods.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. handle² S3 noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: handle, handler, handling; verb: handle]
[Language: Old English]

1. the part of a door that you use for opening it:
Then he turned the handle and went in.

2.
the part of an object that you use for holding it:
a knife with a carved wooden handle
the handle of his cup
a broom handle

3. get a handle on something to start to understand a situation, subject etc:
It’s difficult to get a handle on how widespread this problem is.
⇒ fly off the handle at fly¹(16)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

handle
noun
ADJ. long, short | carrying The table folds up and comes complete with a carrying handle.
door | knife, fork, pickaxe, etc.
VERB + HANDLE have | pull, push, try, turn You have to turn the handle and then pull it towards you. He tried the handle but the door was locked.
PREP. on a/the ~ His initials were on the knife handle.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

handle
verb
I. touch sth with your hands
ADV. carefully, with care A label on the crate read: ‘Handle with care’.
carelessly Garden tools can be hazardous if carelessly handled.
roughly Many of the prisoners were roughly handled; some were killed.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

handle
II. deal with sb/sth
ADV. competently, efficiently, properly, skilfully, successfully, well I think you handled that situation very well.
badly | carefully, delicately This issue may need to be handled carefully.
easily Her next question was not so easily handled.
routinely The library routinely handles a wide variety of enquiries.
VERB + HANDLE be able/unable to, can/could, know how to This was a problem that I just couldn't handle. She knew how to handle publicity.
be designed to, be equipped to He wasn't mentally equipped to handle this situation.
learn how to | be easy to | be difficult to, be hard to Large meetings are notoriously less productive and more difficult to handle.
PREP. with She handled the crisis with total assurance.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

handle
verb
BAD: I learned how to run a house and handle with small children.
GOOD: I learned how to run a house and handle small children.
BAD: That is surely not the way to handle with something so fragile.
GOOD: That is surely not the way to handle something so fragile.

Usage Note:
handle sb/sth (WITHOUT with ): 'We've decided to let our lawyer handle the matter.' 'Be careful how you handle the vase - it's worth a small fortune.'
Compare: 'This is a highly sensitive issue and needs to be handled with tact and diplomacy.' 'FRAGILE - HANDLE WITH CARE.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

deal with something to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem:
We need to deal with problems like pollution and climate change.
I spend most of my day dealing with customer enquiries.
handle to deal with a problem or difficult situation by making particular decisions. Used especially when talking about how well or badly someone does this:
He handled the situation very well.
Most customers were happy with the way their complaints had been handled.
tackle to start to deal with a problem, especially one that is complicated:
We need to tackle the issue of drugs in schools.
The government is introducing new measures to tackle online crime.
see to/attend to somebody/something to deal with all the practical details of something that needs to be done or organized. Attend to is more formal than see to:
My son saw to all the funeral arrangements.
I have some business to attend to.
take care of something to do the work or make the arrangements that are necessary for something to happen. Used especially when you do this for someone else so that they do not have to worry about it:
My secretary takes care of all the paperwork.
process if a company or organization processes a letter, form etc, they do the things that are usually done as part of their official system, in order to deal with it:
It will take a minimum of 14 days to process your passport application.
I called their office, and they said that my request was still being processed.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

system an organized set of ideas, methods, actions etc that you use to do something:
the airport security system
the system for dealing with refugees
process a series of actions that are done in order to achieve a particular result:
the process of teaching children to read
Repeat the same process, until all the sugar has dissolved.
procedure the official or usually agreed way of doing something:
You must follow the normal complaints procedure.
Large companies have a standard procedure for informing new employees about conditions of work.
formula a method or set of principles that you use to solve a problem or make sure that something is successful:
The team are hoping to use the same winning formula that they used last season.
There is no magic formula for success (=a method that is certain to succeed).
deal with something to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem:
We need to deal with problems like pollution and climate change.
I spend most of my day dealing with customer enquiries.
handle to deal with a problem or difficult situation by making particular decisions. Used especially when talking about how well or badly someone does this:
He handled the situation very well.
Most customers were happy with the way their complaints had been handled.
tackle to start to deal with a problem, especially one that is complicated:
We need to tackle the issue of drugs in schools.
The government is introducing new measures to tackle online crime.
see to/attend to somebody/something to deal with all the practical details of something that needs to be done or organized. Attend to is more formal than see to:
My son saw to all the funeral arrangements.
I have some business to attend to.
take care of something to do the work or make the arrangements that are necessary for something to happen. Used especially when you do this for someone else so that they do not have to worry about it:
My secretary takes care of all the paperwork.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

touch to put your fingers or hand onto someone or something for a very short time:
Don’t touch the iron – it’s hot!
feel to touch something with your fingers in order to find out about it:
Feel how soft this material is.
I felt his forehead. It was cold.
handle to touch something and pick it up and hold it in your hands:
Children should always wash their hands before handling food.
The glass was very fragile, and she handled it with great care.
Please do not handle the merchandise.
finger to touch or handle something with your fingers, especially while you are thinking of other things:
She fingered the heavy necklace around her neck.
rub to move your hand over a surface while pressing it:
Bob rubbed his eyes and yawned.
scratch to rub part of your body with your nails, often because it ITCHES:
The dog kept scratching its ear.
Bob scratched his head thoughtfully.
tickle to move your fingers lightly over someone’s body in order to make them laugh:
The baby giggled as I tickled him.
grope to touch someone’s body in a sexual way when they do not want to be touched:
The officer was accused of groping several women in his platoon.
stroke to move your hand gently over something, especially in a loving way:
She stroked the child’s hair.
Our cat won’t let people stroke him.
pat to touch an animal or child lightly several times, with your hand flat:
He knelt down to pat the dog.
She patted the little boy’s head.
pet to touch and move your hand gently over someone, especially an animal or child:
The goats, pigs, sheep, and cows here allow you to pet them.
caress /kəˈres/ to gently touch a part of someone’s body in a loving way:
a mother caressing her child
She caressed his cheek.
fondle to touch a part of someone’s body in a loving or sexual way – use this especially about touching someone in a sexual way that is not wanted:
He tried to fondle her and she immediately pulled away from him.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

handle
ˈhændl
See: fly off the handle

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲