handful
Translation
handful, a few, a difficult person
Examples
She picked up a handful of sand.
She picked up a handful of sand.
Only a handful of people came.
Only a handful of people came.
Her two-year-old son is a real handful.
Her two-year-old son is a real handful.
Grammar Patterns
a handful of ((sth.)) a small amount of (sth.) I ate a handful of nuts.
to be a handful to be difficult to manage The puppy is a real handful.
Similar Words
Synonyms: a few, a small number, (for a person) troublemaker, pest
Etymology
A compound of 'hand' and 'full', literally meaning 'as much as a hand can hold'.
Memory Tips
Picture a hand that is 'full'. This can be a literal amount of something, or figuratively 'full' of trouble when describing a person.