handicap

Study(17)

/ˈhændikæp/

noun 5verb 3

Collocations

(noun.) physical/mental disability

ADJ

serious, severe | mild

mental, physical, visual

My brother has a physical handicap but he plays wheelchair basketball every weekend.

VERB + HANDICAP

be born with, have, suffer (from)

Many children who suffer from physical handicaps still enjoy playing sports.

cause

cope with, overcome

He struggled to cope with his hearing handicap when he started at the new school.

PREP

despite a/the ~

Despite a hearing handicap, he succeeded in becoming a successful musician.

(noun.) disadvantage

ADJ

big, considerable, great, major, real, serious, severe, terrible

Not speaking the language was a serious handicap when she first moved abroad.

VERB + HANDICAP

have, suffer

Many students suffer a significant handicap when they learn to read without proper instruction at home.

prove

Not speaking the local language proved a real handicap during her first weeks abroad.

PREP

despite a/the ~

~ to

Not speaking the local language was a real handicap to his success in the new job.

Definitions

noun

Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.

Age is often a handicap.

Captain Edward Carlisle[…]felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,[…]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.

An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantage

The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.

A handicap in chess often involves removal of the queen's rook.

The disadvantage itself, in particular physical or mental disadvantages of people.

A race or similar contest in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.

An old card game, similar to lanterloo.

Here some of us fell to handicap, a sport that I never knew before, which was very good.

verb

To encumber with a handicap in any contest.

To place at disadvantage.

The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience.

To estimate betting odds.

Grandpa Andy would buy the racing form the day ahead of time so he could handicap the race before he even arrived at the track.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — something immaterial that interferes with or delays action o

noun — the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of

verb — injure permanently

verb — put at a disadvantage

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

Age is often a handicap.

Wiktionary

The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.

Wiktionary

The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience.

Wiktionary

Grandpa Andy would buy the racing form the day ahead of time so he could handicap the race before he even arrived at the track.

Wiktionary

Having no will is the worst handicap.

Tatoeba · #28216

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, handicap is marked as obsolete, figuratively. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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