Definition of "handiness" [hand•i•ness]

• The quality or state of being handy. (noun)

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• "Rifle exercises have for their purpose the development of "handiness" with the piece."
• "= The object of these exercises, which may also be performed with wands or bar bells, is to develop the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back so that the men will become accustomed to the weight of the piece and learn to wield it with that "handiness" so essential to its successful use."
• "Women were forced to be notable housekeepers; men were compelled to attend to every detail of masculine labor in their households and on their farms, thus acquiring and developing a "handiness" at all trades, which has become a Yankee trait."