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handful

Pronunciation: [ˈhændfəl]

Word

Context: “quantity”

(noun) a handful means the amount of something that you can hold in one hand. Imagine picking up some candy; if you can fit it all in one hand, that's a handful.

Example

She picked up a handful of grapes to share with her friends.

Example

He couldn't carry the groceries because he only had a handful of bags, and they were too heavy.

Example

How many cookies can you fit in a handful?

Context: “people”

(noun) a handful can also refer to a small number of people or things. It's like when you don't have many friends at a party; just a few people can make a handful.

Example

Only a handful of students showed up for the extra class, so it was easier to learn.

Example

There were not even a handful of guests at the big event, which made it feel empty.

Example

How many people did you invite? Was it just a handful?

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