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handicap

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

handicap

Main Entry:: ¹hand·i·cap
Pronunciation:: \ˈhan-di-ˌkap, -dē-\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: obsolete English handicap, a game in which forfeit money was held in a cap, from hand in cap
Date:: 1754

1 a: a race or contest in which an artificial advantage is given or disadvantage imposed on a contestant to equalize chances of winning b: an advantage given or disadvantage imposed usually in the form of points, strokes, weight to be carried, or distance from the target or goal2 a: a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult bsometimes offensive : a physical disability

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