handicap
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handicap
hinder, impede, incapacitate; to place at a disadvantage: His handicap was being born into poverty.
Not to be confused with:
handicraft – a work that requires both manual and artistic skill
handiwork – work done by hand
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
hand·i·cap
(hăn′dē-kăp′)n.
1. Sports & Games
a. A race or contest in which contestants are given advantages or compensations to equalize the chances of winning.
b. Such an advantage or penalty.
2. Usage Problem A physical or mental disability. See Usage Note at handicapped.
3. A disadvantage or inconvenience. See Synonyms at disadvantage.
tr.v. hand·i·capped, hand·i·cap·ping, hand·i·caps
1. Sports & Games To assign handicaps or a handicap to (a contestant).
2. To cause to be at a disadvantage; impede.
adj. Usage Problem
Handicapped.
[From obsolete hand in cap, a game in which forfeits were held in a cap.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
handicap
(ˈhændɪˌkæp)n
1. something that hampers or hinders
2. (Individual Sports, other than specified)
a. a contest, esp a race, in which competitors are given advantages or disadvantages of weight, distance, time, etc, in an attempt to equalize their chances of winning
b. the advantage or disadvantage prescribed
3. (Golf) golf the number of strokes by which a player's averaged score exceeds the standard scratch score for the particular course: used as the basis for handicapping in competitive play
4. (Pathology) any physical disability or disadvantage resulting from physical, mental, or social impairment or abnormality
vb (tr) , -caps, -capping or -capped
5. to be a hindrance or disadvantage to
6. (Individual Sports, other than specified) to assign a handicap or handicaps to
7. (Individual Sports, other than specified) to organize (a contest) by handicapping
8. (Horse Racing)
a. to attempt to forecast the winner of (a contest, esp a horse race)
b. to assign odds for or against (a contestant)
[C17: probably from hand in cap, a lottery game in which players drew forfeits from a cap or deposited money in it]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hand•i•cap
(ˈhæn diˌkæp)n., v. -capped, -cap•ping. n.
1. a race or other contest in which disadvantages or advantages of weight, distance, etc., are given to competitors to equalize their chances of winning.
2. the disadvantage or advantage itself.
3. any disadvantage that makes success more difficult.
4. a physical or mental disability, esp. one that makes ordinary activities of daily living difficult.
v.t. 5. to place at a disadvantage; hinder.
6. to assign handicaps to (competitors).
7.
a. to attempt to predict the winner of (a contest, esp. a horse race), as by comparing past performances of contestants.
b. to assign odds for or against (a particular contestant).
[1640–50; orig. hand i' cap hand in cap, referring to a drawing before a horse race]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
handicap
Past participle: handicapped
Gerund: handicapping
| Imperative |
|---|
| handicap |
| handicap |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
handicap
A way of equalizing competition by allowing a certain number of strokes to a golfer playing against a better opponent.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  handicap - the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness; "reading disability"; "hearing impairment"bandy leg, bandyleg, bowleg, genu varum, tibia vara, bow leg - a leg bowed outward at the knee (or below the knee) dysphasia - an impairment of language (especially speech production) that is usually due to brain damage unfitness, softness - poor physical condition; being out of shape or out of condition (as from a life of ease and luxury) disability of walking - a disability that interferes with or prevents walking astasia - inability to stand due to muscular incoordination amputation - a condition of disability resulting from the loss of one or more limbs hearing disorder, hearing impairment - impairment of the sense of hearing dysomia - impairment of the sense of smell hypesthesia, hypoesthesia - impairment of tactile sensitivity; decrease of sensitivity pigeon toes - disability in which the toes are turned inward; often associated with knock-knee disintegration - a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system; "a disintegration of personality" |
| 2. | handicap - advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning advantage, vantage - the quality of having a superior or more favorable position; "the experience gave him the advantage over me" penalty - (games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game scratch - (golf) a handicap of zero strokes; "a golfer who plays at scratch should be able to achieve par on a course" | |
| 3. | handicap - something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress difficulty - a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result; "serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent" albatross, millstone - (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps; "she was an albatross around his neck" bind - something that hinders as if with bonds diriment impediment - (canon law) an impediment that invalidates a marriage (such as the existence of a prior marriage) drag - something that slows or delays progress; "taxation is a drag on the economy"; "too many laws are a drag on the use of new land" obstacle, obstruction - something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted; "lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement"; "the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education"; "the filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan" straitjacket - anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines; "they defected because Russian dance was in a straitjacket"; "the government is operating in an economic straitjacket" | |
| Verb | 1. | handicap - injure permanently; "He was disabled in a car accident" injure - cause injuries or bodily harm to hock - disable by cutting the hock |
| 2. | handicap - attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant bias - influence in an unfair way; "you are biasing my choice by telling me yours" | |
| 3. | handicap - put at a disadvantage; "The brace I have to wear is hindering my movements" disadvantage, disfavor, disfavour - put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm; "This rule clearly disadvantages me" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
handicap
noun
1. disability, defect, impairment, physical abnormality a child with a medically recognised handicap
2. disadvantage, block, barrier, restriction, obstacle, limitation, hazard, drawback, shortcoming, stumbling block, impediment, albatross, hindrance, millstone, encumbrance Being a foreigner was not a handicap.
disadvantage benefit, advantage, asset, edge, boost
disadvantage benefit, advantage, asset, edge, boost
3. advantage, penalty, head start I see your handicap is down from 16 to 12.
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
handicap
noun1. A factor conducive to superiority and success:
2. An unfavorable condition, circumstance, or characteristic:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إعاقَهتَعْديل في سباق رياضي يسبب عائِقاسِباق فيه عائِقعائِقيُعيق، يسبب إعاقَه
handicaphandicapovatpostiženívada
hæmmehandicaphandicap-handicapløbhandicappe
tasoitusvamma
fogyatékossághátrányos helyzetbe hozhendikep
forgjafarkeppniforgjöf, forskotfötlunfötlun; annmarkihindra, tálma
impedimentum
handikapaskliuvinysnegalianeįgaluspasunkinimas
atpalicībahandikapskavēkliskavētnepilnvērtība
handicaphandicapovaťpostihnutietelesná chyba
okvaraovira
elverişsiz durumengelengellemekengelli yarışhandikap
handicap
[ˈhændɪkæp]A. N
1. (= disadvantage) → desventaja f; (= impediment) → obstáculo m, estorbo m
3. (Med) → minusvalía f, discapacidad f
B. VT (= prejudice) → perjudicar (Sport) → establecer un hándicap para
he has always been handicapped by his accent → su acento siempre le ha perjudicado or le ha supuesto una desventaja
he has always been handicapped by his accent → su acento siempre le ha perjudicado or le ha supuesto una desventaja
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
handicap
[ˈhændikæp] n
(= disability) → handicap m
(= disadvantage) → désavantage m
(HORSE RACING) → handicap m
(GOLF) → handicap m
vt
(= put at a disadvantage) [+ person] → désavantager, handicaper; [+ organization, community] → handicaper
(= disable) → handicaper
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
handicap
n
(Sport) → Handicap nt, → Handikap nt, → Vorgabe f; (= race) → Handicaprennen nt; a handicap of 5lbs → eine (Gewichts)vorgabe or ein Handicap von 5 Pfund
(= disadvantage) → Handicap nt; (physical, mental) → Behinderung f; to be under a great handicap → sehr im Nachteil sein, stark gehandicapt sein
vt → ein Handicap nt → darstellen für; chances → beeinträchtigen; (fig) person → benachteiligen; he has always been handicapped by his accent → sein Akzent war immer ein Nachteil m → für ihn; to be (physically/mentally) handicapped → (körperlich/geistig) behindert sein; handicapped children → behinderte Kinder pl
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
handicap
[ˈhændɪˌkæp]1. n (fig) (Sport) → handicap m inv
2. vt (disable) → handicappare, menomare; (hamper) → ostacolare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
handicap
(ˈhӕndikӕp) noun1. something that makes doing something more difficult. The loss of a finger would be a handicap for a pianist.
2. (in a race, competition etc) a disadvantage of some sort (eg having to run a greater distance in a race) given to the best competitors so that others have a better chance of winning.
3. a race, competition etc in which this happens.
4. (a form of) physical or mental disability. children with physical handicaps.
verb – past tense, past participle ˈhandicapped – to make something (more) difficult for. He wanted to be a pianist, but was handicapped by his deafness.
ˈhandicapped adjectiveHe is physically handicapped and cannot walk; a handicapped child.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
hand·i·cap
n. impedimento; obstáculo, desventaja;
handicapped person → persona desvalida, inválida, baldada, impedida.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
handicap
(ant) V. disability.English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.