handful

Meanings

1. The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
2. A hand's breadth; four inches.
3. A small number, usually approximately five.
4. A group or number of things; a bunch.
5. Something which can only be managed with difficulty.
6. A five-year prison sentence.

Etymology

From Middle English handful, hondful, from Old English handfull (“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”).