handhold

IPA/ˈhændhəʊld/
KK[hˈændhˌold]IPA/ˈhændhəʊld/

handhold — noun

  • handholdsingular
  • handholdsplural

1. a place on a surface — such as a steep rock face, a wall, or a ladder — that you

1.nounB1
Definition

a place on a surface — such as a steep rock face, a wall, or a ladder — that you can grip with your hand to pull yourself up or stay steady while climbing

Example

Salma searched for a handhold on the steep rock before pulling herself up.

search for + handhold — verb–noun collocation

The old ladder offered no handhold because its rungs were too narrow.

Common collocations
  • find a handhold
  • search for a handhold
  • grab a handhold
  • reach for a handhold
  • lose one's handhold
  • secure handhold
  • tiny handhold
Synonyms
  • grip

    Refers more to the act of holding or the way you hold, rather than a physical place to hold

  • hold

    Slightly more general; can also mean a place for the foot (foothold)

  • handle

    A manufactured part designed specifically for holding, while a handhold can be natural or artificial

Usage Note

Often used in climbing contexts (rock faces, indoor climbing walls, ladders), but also appears in broader contexts to mean any surface or object that can be gripped for support.

Common Mistakes

He used the handrail as a handhold on the cliff.
He used the rock ledge as a handhold on the cliff.
A handrail is a man-made bar attached to a structure; a handhold can be any natural or artificial surface that provides a grip.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While handhold, grip, hold, and handle all relate to holding onto something, they differ in scope and specificity. Handhold refers specifically to a physical place or object that can be gripped for support, especially in climbing. Grip is broader — it can describe the act of holding ('a firm grip') or the quality of a surface ('rubber soles give good grip'), but it rarely names a specific physical feature. Hold is more general still and overlaps with handhold ('a hold on the rock face'), but it is also used for footholds and abstract situations ('a legal hold on the property'). Handle always refers to a designed, manufactured part of a tool or container — you would never call a natural rock protrusion a handle. In short: use handhold when you mean a specific place to grip while climbing; use hold to be more general; use grip for the action or friction quality; and use handle only for artificial objects.

grip ↗hold ↗handle ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • search for a handhold
  • find a handhold
  • lose one's handhold
  • reach for a handhold

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Handhold is formed by combining the Old English words 'hand' (hand) and 'hold' (holding, grasp). The compound has been in English since the Old English period, originally referring to something that could be grasped by hand. Over time, its meaning narrowed in modern English to refer specifically to a supportive gripping point used in climbing or balancing.