two-handedadj.
/ˌtuːˈhandᵻd/, /ˈtuːˌhandᵻd/, U.S. /ˈtuˌhændəd/, /ˌtuˈhændəd/ 1. Wielded with both hands, as a sword, etc. (= two-hand adj. 1); involving the use of both hands.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > [adjective] > requiring two hands to wield or manage
two-handa1425
two-handed?a1475
two-handy1648
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or control > [adjective] > used or controlled > used or controlled by hand > by two hands
two-handa1425
two-handed?a1475
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > extremities > hand > [adjective] > using both hands
two-handed1837
bimanual1898
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1879) VII. 243 Tailefer..toke a too~honded swerde, and..did slee oon of Ynglishe men.
1588 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1881) 1st Ser. IV. 277 With hagbute, bow, speir, or twa-handit swerd.
1638 J. Milton Lycidas in Obsequies 23 in Justa Edouardo King That two-handed engine..Stands ready to smite.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vi. 251 With huge two-handed sway Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down. View more context for this quotation
1814 W. Scott Diary 22 Aug. in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott (1837) III. vii. 223 The effigy of a warrior completely armed..with his hand on his two-handed broadsword.
1837 Penny Cycl. VIII. 283/1 This was probably the finger-alphabet from which our present two-handed one was derived.
1874 A. C. Swinburne Bothwell iv. ii The sword Which was my grandsire's, whose two-handed stroke Did such-like service.
2. Wielded or worked by the hands of two persons, as a saw; engaged in or played by two persons, as a card-game, etc.: = two-hand adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > [adjective] > done in co-operation
commonc1300
two-handc1503
two-handed1657
combined1834
collaborative1927
tandem1962
society > occupation and work > equipment > tool > types of tools generally > [adjective] > worked by hand > right or left, one or two
two-handy1648
left-handeda1657
two-handed1657
uphand1678
left hand1776
single-handed1834
right-handed1891
lefty1954
1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 41 Cutting it with two-handed sawes.
1680 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester (ed. 2) x. 83 Some play at two handed, or three handed whist.
1827 J. Wilson Noctes Ambrosianae xxx, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Jan. 100 I'm real happy..to think that we're to hae a twa-handed crack.
1832 H. Douglas Ess. Mil. Bridges (ed. 2) vii. 378 A plank..upon which..two men may stand to..work, conjointly, a heavy, two-handed beetle.
1898 To-Day 5 Nov. 19/2 The Captain sat down to play two-handed poker with Chris.
3. colloquial. Big, bulky, strapping. ? Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > broad shape or physique > [adjective]
stalworthc1175
thicka1250
stubblea1300
quarryc1300
stalworthyc1300
stoura1350
sturdyc1386
buirdlya1400
squarec1430
couragec1440
craskc1440
substantialc1460
ample1485
stalwart1508
puddinga1540
full-bodied1588
robust1666
two-handed1687
swankinga1704
strapping1707
broad-set1708
thick-set1724
throddy?1748
thick-bodied1752
broad-built1771
junky1825
swankie1838
stodgy1854
wide-bodied1854
beefish1882
hunky1911
buff1982
buffed1986
1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar in Wks. (1730) I. 73 A huge two-handed lubber, St. Christopher I think they call him.
1692 tr. Countess D'Aunoy Trav. (1706) iii. 44 The Hair..being..kept behind their Ears with a great Twohanded [mistranslating Fr. doublé ‘lined’] Hat.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Strapping-Lass, a swinging two-handed Woman.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. ix. iii. 330 This Susan was as two-handed a Wench (according to the Phrase) as any in the Country. View more context for this quotation
1830 C. Lamb Let. 22 Jan. (1935) III. 243 [Vulcan] the two-handed skinker.
4. Having two hands.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > extremities > hand > [adjective] > having
one-handedc1225
handed1613
manual1646
bimanous1832
two-handed1847
thousand-handed1870
1847 W. B. Carpenter Zool.: Systematic Acct. I. §120 Bimana, or two-handed Mammals.
1847 W. B. Carpenter Zool.: Systematic Acct. I. §127 Man alone is two-handed.
5. Using both hands equally well, ambidextrous; dexterous, handy, efficient.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > [adjective] > skilful or adroit
hendc1275
happya1400
clean1485
habile1485
practivea1500
feat1519
well-handeda1529
handsome1542
trick1542
neat1571
dexterous1622
adroit1652
right-handeda1661
artful1663
nitle1673
ambidextrousa1682
clever1716
jemmy1751
slick1807
sleek1822
cleverish1826
featy1844
two-handed1861
nifty1889
mean1918
organized1926
ept1938
1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Good for Nothing xxvii A man soon learns to be two-handed in the bush.
6. U.S. colloquial. Generous, open-handed.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > liberal giving > [adjective]
custyeOE
room-handeda1200
largea1225
free?c1225
plenteousc1350
bounteousc1374
liberalc1384
free-hearteda1398
ungnedea1400
royalc1405
opena1425
plentifula1475
profuse?a1475
ungrighta1475
lavishc1475
almifluent1477
prodigous1477
frank1484
bountiful1508
largifluent?a1525
munificent1565
magnificent1577
largeous1583
munifical1583
magnifical1586
free-handed1592
frolic1593
open-handed1593
magnific?1594
prodigal1595
goodwillya1598
communicativea1602
real1602
prodig1605
unniggard1605
generous1615
open-hearteda1617
large-handeda1628
unniggardly1628
fluent1633
profusive1638
numerous1655
largifical1656
insordid1660
unsparing1667
dispensive1677
expensive1678
wasteful1701
flush1703
unboundeda1704
genteel1741
munific1745
magnifique1751
ungrudginga1774
unstinting1845
brickish1860
flaithulach1876
princely1889
outgiving1896
sharing1922
two-handed1929
1929 D. Runyon in Cosmopolitan July 57/1 Miss Missouri Martin..puts the blast on her plenty for chasing a two-handed spender..out of the joint.
1933 G. Ade Let. 12 Sept. (1973) 173 He was..a two-handed drinker who could not carry his rum because he was too frail and intellectual.
Derivatives
two-handedly adv. with or in both hands.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > extremities > hand > [adverb] > with both hands
two-handedly1927
1927 R. Kipling Verse 1885–1926 730 Two-handedly tossing me jewels.
1981 M. Kenyon Zigzag xxi. 143 Peckover, pickaxe two-handedly poised..stepped towards him.
two-handedness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > liberal giving > [noun] > liberality
freedomOE
custinessOE
largesse?c1225
freeshipa1250
franchisec1325
largitya1382
largenessa1387
liberalityc1390
bountya1400
honestya1400
freenessc1400
largec1400
liberalnessc1410
munificencec1425
plentyc1425
bounteousnessc1440
magnificencec1450
bountifulness1489
bountines1512
royalty1548
magnificency?c1550
munificency?c1550
free-heartedness1583
profuseness1584
bountihead1590
lavishness1590
frankness1591
ingenuousness1611
fruitfulnessa1616
generosity1634
open-handednessa1640
large-heartedness1640
communicativeness1653
unsparingness1818
free-handedness1860
big-heartedness1872
ungrudgingness1885
two-handedness1891
outgivingness1968
1891 Home Missionary (N.Y.) Jan. 389 A holy two-handedness.
two-hander n. (a) a two-handed sword; (b) Theatre a play with a cast of two.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > other types of play
king play1469
king game1504
historya1509
chronicle history1600
monology1608
horseplaya1627
piscatory1631
stock play1708
petite pièce1712
mimic1724
ballad opera1730
ballad farce1735
benefit-play1740
potboiler1783
monodrama1793
extravaganza1797
theo-drama1801
monodrame1803
proverb1803
stock piece1804
bespeak1807
ticket-night1812
dramaticle1813
monopolylogue1819
pièce d'occasion1830
interlude1831
mimea1834
costume piece1834
mummers' play1849
history play1850
gag-piece1860
music drama1874
well-made1881
playlet1884
two-decker1884
slum1885
kinderspiel1886
thrill1886
knockabout1887
two-hander1888
front-piece1889
thriller1889
shadow-play1890
mime play1894
problem play1894
one-acter1895
sex play1899
chronicle drama1902
thesis-play1902
star vehicle1904
folk-play1905
radio play1908
tab1915
spy play1919
one-act1920
pièce à thèse1923
dance-drama1924
a mess of plottage1926
turkey1927
weepie1928
musical1930
cliffhanger1931
mime drama1931
triangle drama1931
weeper1934
spine-chiller1940
starrer1941
scorcher1942
teleplay1947
straw-hatter1949
pièce noire1951
pièce rose1951
tab show1951
conversation piece1952
psychodrama1956
whydunit1968
mystery play1975
State of the Nation1980
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > sharp weapon > side arms > sword > [noun] > long or large sword
longswordc1275
slaugh-sword1548
slaughter sword1569
katana1613
bum-bladea1640
swinger1673
whanger1826
espadon1846
two-hander1888
1888 Archaeologia 51 512 The sword..is an exceedingly handsome example of the two-hander of the sixteenth century.
1976 Listener 20 May 648/3 The play was..a two-hander, finely acted by Maurice Denham and Colette O'Neil.
1981 H. Baldry Case for Arts 9 The ever-diminishing casts of the plays which our theatre directors can afford to present... This is the time of the three-hander and the two-hander.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > [adjective] > requiring two hands to wield or manage
two-handa1425
two-handed?a1475
two-handy1648
society > occupation and work > equipment > tool > types of tools generally > [adjective] > worked by hand > right or left, one or two
two-handy1648
left-handeda1657
two-handed1657
uphand1678
left hand1776
single-handed1834
right-handed1891
lefty1954
1648 H. Hexham Groot Woorden-boeck Een Slach-swaerdt, a two-handie Sword.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
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adj.?a1475