by hand

phrase

1
: with the hands or a hand-worked implement (such as a tool or pen) rather than with a machine
2
: from one individual directly to another
deliver the document by hand

Examples of by hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the upper right-hand corner is a cheat sheet that quickly indicates the oven temp, difficulty level, chilling time, and mixing method (by hand or machine) for every recipe. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2026 With Doak’s game clock defunct, ESPN peeled off one of its scorebug operators to shadow the officials, starting and stopping the on-screen time by hand, second by second. Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Deadhead the dead flowers by hand, pinching and twisting the blooms away from the stems. Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 8 Sep. 2026 Hermès artisans still saddle stitch leather goods by hand and screen-print scarves using an archive of more than seventy-five thousand proprietary colors. Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by hand

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of by hand was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“By hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20hand. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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