Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "handbreadth" [hand•breadth]

  • A linear measurement approximating the width of the palm of the hand, from 2 1/2 to 4 inches (6.25 to 10 centimeters). (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "handbreadth" in a sentence
  • "She replied, “[...] [During intercourse] he uncovers a handbreadth and covers a handbreadth, and it is as though he was urged on by a demon.”"
  • "Men are asked to refrain from reading the Shema in the presence of a woman who has a single handbreadth exposed."
  • "Beyond my argument of precision, another person left a comment on the post giving the calculation that shows that even if one takes the measurements given as being more precise than their stated precision, one comes out with a correct and very precise result if one takes into account the handbreadth thickness of the bath."