hand

1 a certain way in which something appears or may be regarded on the one hand, you would have more storage space in a larger house, but on the other, you would have more rooms to heat Synonyms angle, facet, aspect, phase, sideRelated Words air, appearance, character, color, complexion, condition, face, look, semblance, shape, state, visage; period, stage, step; outlook, perspective, position, posture, shoes, slant, stance, standpoint, view, viewpoint; interpretation, reading, rendering, translation, version; article, case, component, count, detail, dimension, element, factor, instance, item, matter, part, particular, point, regard, respect

2 a place, space, or direction away from or beyond a central point or line tall buildings rose on either hand nothing but wide open space on either hand Synonyms flank, sideRelated Words outside; face, top; bottom, foot, underbelly, underbody, underpart, underside, undersurface; lee, leeward, windward; left, rightNear Antonyms center, inside, interior, middle, midway

3 an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information both hands of the clock pointed to 12 Synonyms pointer, index, indicator, needleRelated Words dial, face, gauge (also gage)

4 one who works for another for wages or a salary the restaurant always hires several more hands for the busy summer season Synonyms employee, hireling, jobholder, retainer, workerRelated Words assistant, cog, flunky (also flunkey or flunkie), subordinate, underling, yes-man; drudge, gandy dancer, grub, hack, jobber, laborer, navvy [chiefly British], toiler; nine-to-fiver, wage earner, wage slave, wageworker, workingman, workingwoman, workman, workwoman; associate, colleague, coworker; temp, temporaryNear Antonyms boss, superior, supervisorAntonyms employer, gaffer [British]

5 the form or style of a particular person's writing writes with a flowing, old-fashioned hand Synonyms handwriting, penmanship, scriptRelated Words cacography, hen scratch, hen track, scratch, scrawl, scribble; backhand, copperplate, cursive, print, running hand; autograph, John Hancock, John Henry, signature

6 usually hands pl  the ability to direct the course of something the final decision is in your hands Synonyms grasp, control(s)Related Words clutch, grip, hold, mastery; arm, command, dominion, helm, sway; authority, domination, jurisdiction, might, power; administration, direction, governance, government, guidance, management, operation, oversight, regulation, running, superintendence, supervisionNear Antonyms helplessness, weakness; impotence, impotency, powerlessness

7 hands pl  the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal I'd like to get my hands on that vintage Cadillac convertible Synonyms control, enjoyment, hands, keepingRelated Words ownership, proprietorship; authority, command, dominion, mastery, power; repossession, retention; claiming, collaring, commandeering, confiscation, procurementNear Antonyms dispossession, relinquishment, surrendering, transferalAntonyms nonpossession

8 an act or instance of helping the downstairs tenant gave us a hand getting the heavy dresser up the stairs Synonyms abetment, aid, assist, assistance, backing, boost, help, helping hand, leg up, lift, supportRelated Words advancement, encouragement, facilitation, forwarding, furtherance, furthering, nurturance; benefaction, patronage, promotion, sponsorship; advice, care, counsel, guidance, mentoring; attendance, attention, hand-holding, service; beneficence, charity, favor, kindness, philanthropy; assuagement, palliation, relief, succorNear Antonyms constraint, frustration, inhibition, interference, obstruction, repression, restraint; deterrence, discouragementAntonyms hindrance