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single-handed
[ sing-guhl-han-did ]
adjective
- accomplished or done by one person alone:
a single-handed victory; single-handed sailing.
- by one's own effort; unaided.
adverb
- by oneself; alone; without aid:
He built the garage single-handed.
single-handed
adjective
- unaided or working alone
a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic
- having or operated by one hand or one person only
Derived Forms
- ˌsingle-ˈhandedly, adverb
- ˌsingle-ˈhandedness, noun
Other Words From
- single-handed·ness noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of single-handed1
Example Sentences
The book is a manifesto—a single-handed attempt to galvanize the world to take to the streets.
Even if it had been the right place, and the right fellows had been there, what could I have done single-handed?
He was one of the few Americans who encountered the British in single-handed charges on top of the breast-works.
Sara Lee might have fought the War Office single-handed and won out, but it is extremely unlikely.
He boasted he would uproot single-handed, in one hour, all the trees in the Royal pleasaunce.
Single-handed he had to fight against the Spanish cruiser, for it was certain that the Brooklyn could give no assistance.
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More About Single Handed
What does single-handed mean?
Single-handed is used to describe something done or accomplished alone—without help from anyone, as in a single-handed attempt.
It can also be used as an adverb meaning the same thing as single-handedly, as in Carol completed the project single-handed—she did every last thing herself.
Single-handed is also used in situations in which someone has done something without help from anyone else even though they were available, as in She beat the other team single-handed—scoring the final 15 points of the game by herself.
Example: This usually takes three or four people, so how did you manage to do it single-handed?
Where does single-handed come from?
The first records of the term single-handed come from the 1700s. Single-handed and the adverb form single-handedly come from the concept of something being done by one pair of hands—that is, one person.
Single-handed is often used to emphasize the impressiveness of something having been performed by one person. It is used to highlight the fact that the task normally requires a group of people to do.
For this reason, single-handed is commonly used in hyperbolic descriptions of a person’s abilities or of the difficulty of the task they accomplished, as in Her single-handed voyage changed history.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to single-handed?
- single-handedly (adverb)
- single-handedness (noun)
What are some synonyms for single-handed?
- single-handedly (when single-handed is used as an adverb)
- alone
- unassisted
- by oneself
What are some words that share a root or word element with single-handed?
What are some words that often get used in discussing single-handed?
How is single-handed used in real life?
Single-handed is used to indicate that someone accomplished a (usually impressive) task by themselves.
My point is that while no one has an issue with the legality of caring for your older relative, most people can’t do it single handed for 24 hours a day. It’s too hard.
— Trisha Elliott (@Trisha_the_doc) January 7, 2018
Going Solo: remarkable story of Ken Russell's single-handed attempt to win the Tour of Britain http://t.co/7QsZEzUa51
— Joel Gunter (@joelmgunter) July 7, 2014
“If life be a war, it seemed my destiny to conduct it single-handed.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Villette #qotd— Vintage/Anchor Books (@VintageAnchor) June 30, 2014
Try using single-handed!
Is single-handed used correctly in the following sentence?
The carpenter managed to repair the bridge single-handed, with help from his assistants.
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