fistful vs handful what difference

what is difference between fistful and handful

English

Etymology

fist +‎ -ful

Noun

fistful (plural fistfuls or fistsful)

1. The amount that can be held in a closed fist
2. A blow with the fist.

Synonyms

• (amount held in a fist): handful
• (blow with the fist): punch

Translations

Anagrams

• Sutliff

English

Alternative forms

• handfull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English handful, hondful, from Old English handful (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handufullō, *handufulliz (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”) + *fullaz (“full”); equivalent to hand +‎ full (“fullness, plenty”) or hand +‎ -ful. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hondful (“handful”), West Frisian hânfol (“handful”), Dutch handvol (“handful”), German Handvoll (“handful”), Danish håndfuld (“handful”), Swedish handfull (“handful”), Icelandic handfylli (“handful”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhæn(d)fʊl/, /ˈhæn(d)fəl/

Noun

handful (plural handfuls or handsful)

1. The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.

   I put two or three corns in my mouth, liked it, stole a handful, went into my chamber, chewed it, and for two months after never failed taking toll of every pennyworth of oatmeal that came into the house. – Joseph Addison, The Spectator, Vol. VI

2. (obsolete) A hand’s breadth; four inches.
3. A small number, usually approximately five.

   • This handful of men were tied to very hard duty.
4. A group or number of things; a bunch.
5. (colloquial) Something which can only be managed with difficulty.
   • 2008, Dog Fancy (volume 39, issue 11, page 76)

     Many times dogs are surrendered for reasons such as changes in the family unit, a death in the family, no time to care for a dog, or because that cute little puppy is now a 100 lb untrained handful.

6. (slang) A five-year prison sentence.

Synonyms

• (content of a hand): fistful
• handbreadth, handsbreadth

Derived terms

• have one’s handful

Related terms

• handgrip
• handhold

Translations

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