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handicap
[ han-dee-kap ]
noun
- a race or other contest in which certain disadvantages or advantages of weight, distance, time, etc., are placed upon competitors to equalize their chances of winning.
- the disadvantage or advantage itself.
- any disadvantage that makes success more difficult:
The main handicap of our business is lack of capital.
- Sometimes Offensive. a physical or mental disability making participation in certain of the usual activities of daily living more difficult.
verb (used with object)
- to place at a disadvantage; disable or burden:
He was handicapped by his injured ankle.
Synonyms: incapacitate, cripple, impede, hinder
- to subject to a disadvantageous handicap, as a competitor of recognized superiority.
- to assign handicaps to (competitors).
- Sports.
- to attempt to predict the winner of (a contest, especially a horse race), as by comparing past performances of the contestants.
- to assign odds for or against (any particular contestant) to win a contest or series of contests:
He handicapped the Yankees at 2-to-1 to take the series from the Cardinals.
handicap
/ ˈhændɪˌkæp /
noun
- something that hampers or hinders
- 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
- the advantage or disadvantage prescribed
- 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
- any physical disability or disadvantage resulting from physical, mental, or social impairment or abnormality
verb
- to be a hindrance or disadvantage to
- to assign a handicap or handicaps to
- to organize (a contest) by handicapping
- to attempt to forecast the winner of (a contest, esp a horse race)
- to assign odds for or against (a contestant)
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Other Words From
- non·handi·cap noun
- over·handi·cap verb (used with object) overhandicapped overhandicapping
- pre·handi·cap noun verb (used with object) prehandicapped prehandicapping
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Word History and Origins
Origin of handicap1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of handicap1
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Example Sentences
“Lack of forward firing ordnance in a CAS supporting aircraft is a major handicap,” he added.
Unprepared, and a laughingstock because of his handicap, Yarvi is bullied on every front—even by his mother.
If the rest of us have had trouble catching up to Robespierre and crew, well, we are starting from a bit of a handicap.
The handicap, after some needling back and forth, was fixed at eight strokes.
McLean listened to the stranger's mild appeal for a ten-stroke handicap.
An absence of ducats, coupled with the necessity of getting my handicap down to ten, has prevented my speaking ere this.
We have laboured under a terrible handicap owing to an almost fatal departure from the Swadeshi spirit.
The event of the season was the handicap race for the Cup given by the Queen, which took place on August 10.
He might yet accomplish big things although he was under a terrific handicap—and he might not.
It is a great handicap having no one to look after things down there.
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