RIGHT-HAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does right-hand mean? 

• RIGHT-HAND (adjective)
  The adjective RIGHT-HAND has 3 senses:

1. located on or directed toward the right

2. intended for the right hand

3. most helpful and reliable

  Familiarity information: RIGHT-HAND used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RIGHT-HAND (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Located on or directed toward the right

Context example:

a right-hand turn

Similar:

right (being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the east when facing north)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Intended for the right hand

Synonyms:

right; right-hand

Context example:

a right-hand glove

Similar:

right-handed (using or intended for the right hand)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Most helpful and reliable

Context example:

my right-hand man

Similar:

helpful (providing assistance or serving a useful function)

 Context examples 

Three smaller windows on the right-hand side filled the apartment with cold winter sunshine.

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

Two of the warders were agents of Prendergast, and the second mate was his right-hand man.

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

By the way, the prisoner has a small box in the right-hand pocket of his coat which it would be as well to remove.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“On the right-hand pavement—she must be almost out of sight now.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Her own little right-hand middle finger got steeped to the very bone in ink; and I think that was the only decided result obtained.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

They were armed to the teeth with lance, sword, and mace, with square shields notched at the upper right-hand corner to serve as a spear-rest.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he came before the palace and saw the golden road, he stopped to look at it, and he thought to himself, It is a pity to ride upon this beautiful road; so he turned aside and rode on the right-hand side of it.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

The central portion was in little better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided.

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

We passed along it and Holmes very gently opened a door upon the right-hand side.

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

‘My ancestor, Sir Ralph Musgrave, was a prominent Cavalier and the right-hand man of Charles the Second in his wanderings,’ said my friend.

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