Words / B1

HANDF-ul/ˈhændfʊl/

A handful is a small number: a handful of seats; a handful of people. It also means an amount that fills one hand, or informally a child who is hard to manage. Few is everyday. Do not use a handful when you mean hundreds. News: only a handful of votes in it.

Meaning

A small number; also an amount that fills one hand.

Examples

• “Only a handful of seats were left on the last train.”
• “A handful of sand went into the sample bag, which is the literal sense.”

Good to know

a handful of + plural noun. Literal: an amount in one hand. Informal: a handful = a difficult child. Everyday: a few. Not hundreds.

Near in meaning

few

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