HANDICAP (handicapped, handicapping)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: handicapped    , handicapping   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does handicap mean? 

• HANDICAP (noun)
  The noun HANDICAP has 3 senses:

1. the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness

2. advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning

3. something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

  Familiarity information: HANDICAP used as a noun is uncommon.

• HANDICAP (verb)
  The verb HANDICAP has 3 senses:

1. injure permanently

2. attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant

3. put at a disadvantage

  Familiarity information: HANDICAP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HANDICAP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

disability; disablement; handicap; impairment

Context example:

hearing impairment

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

softness; unfitness (poor physical condition; being out of shape or out of condition (as from a life of ease and luxury))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

astasia (inability to stand due to muscular incoordination)

disintegration (a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system)

bandy legs; bow leg; bow legs (outward curvature of the legs)

pigeon toes (disability in which the toes are turned inward; often associated with knock-knee)

genu valgum; knock-knee; tibia valga (an inward slant of the thigh)

hypesthesia; hypoesthesia (impairment of tactile sensitivity; decrease of sensitivity)

descensus; prolapse; prolapsus (the slipping or falling out of place of an organ (as the uterus))

vision defect; visual defect; visual disorder; visual impairment (impairment of the sense of sight)

dysomia (impairment of the sense of smell)

hearing disorder; hearing impairment (impairment of the sense of hearing)

amputation (a condition of disability resulting from the loss of one or more limbs)

disability of walking (a disability that interferes with or prevents walking)

dysphasia (an impairment of language (especially speech production) that is usually due to brain damage)

anorgasmia (absence of an orgasm in sexual relations)

bandy leg; bandyleg; bow leg; bowleg; genu varum; tibia vara (a leg bowed outward at the knee (or below the knee))

Derivation:

handicap (injure permanently)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

scratch ((golf) a handicap of zero strokes)

penalty ((games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game)

Derivation:

handicap (attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

balk; baulk; check; deterrent; handicap; hinderance; hindrance; impediment

Hypernyms ("handicap" is a kind of...):

difficulty (a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "handicap"):

albatross; millstone ((figurative) something that hinders or handicaps)

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)

obstacle; obstruction (something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted)

straitjacket (anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines)

Derivation:

handicap (put at a disadvantage)

• HANDICAP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they handicap    ... he / she / it handicaps   
Past simple: handicapped   
Past participle: handicapped   
-ing form: handicapping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Injure permanently

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

disable; handicap; incapacitate; invalid

Context example:

He was disabled in a car accident

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "handicap"):

hock (disable by cutting the hock)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

handicap (the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

bias (influence in an unfair way)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

handicap (advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning)

handicapper (someone who sets the betting odds based on calculations of the outcome of a contest (especially a horse race))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put at a disadvantage

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

hamper; handicap; hinder

Context example:

The brace I have to wear is hindering my movements

Hypernyms (to "handicap" is one way to...):

disadvantage; disfavor; disfavour (put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

handicap (something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress)

 Context examples 

As it was clear to him that he had been handicapped by his early environment, so now he perceived that she was similarly handicapped.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Several studies show health problems related to preterm birth persist through adult life, problems such as chronic lung disease, developmental handicaps, vision and hearing losses.

(New Genetic Discovery May Eventually End Premature Birth, VOA)

When it comes to handicapping a horse, playing a hand, matching a cock, or picking a man, he has the best judgment in England.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was because of these things that she bade fair to overcome the handicap of her garments.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“You start me on my investigation with a very serious handicap. It is inconceivable, for example, that this ivy and this lawn would have yielded nothing to an expert observer.”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It marked, further, the decay or going to pieces of his moral nature, a vain thing and a handicap in the ruthless struggle for existence.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Also he was handicapped in another way.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Then, too, he was handicapped by the possession of a great fund of experience with girls and women who had been absolutely different from her.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)