handfuls
Cupped palm quantities
Handfuls is the plural of handful—a quantity that fits in one hand, or more loosely, a small number: She grabbed handfuls of popcorn.
A handful can also be someone or something difficult to manage: Those kids are a handful.
The alternative plural handsfull exists but is rare.
Quantities gripped tightly
- scoopsPortions or exclusives
- palmfulsQuantities held in palms
- pinchesTiny measured quantities
- bunchesGrouped collections of items
clusters · grips · clutches · wads · chunks · lumps · morsels · dollops
First-reported story
- cuppedShaped into bowl
- palmfulAmount held in hand
- pinchSqueeze with fingertips
- spoonfulQuantity a scoop holds
teaspoon · tablespoon · dollop · dash · smidgen · sprinkle · portion · serving
Sufficient quantity, and then some
- overflowingExceeding capacity, spilling out
- bountifulPlentiful and generous
- copiousExisting in abundance
- ampleFully sufficient, even excessive
plentiful · profusion · generous · heaping · spilling · excess · surplus · more than enough
Small in number
Seize or understand
- gripSecure manual hold
- holdMaintain in grasp
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- carryMove while supporting
palm · juggle · balance · gather · scoop · grab · snatch · collect
Causing difficulty or annoyance
- challengingHard to accomplish
- unrulyDifficult to control
- rowdyNoisily disorderly
- rascalsMischievous troublemakers
mischievous · demanding · wild · rambunctious · spirited · boisterous · lively · energetic
fistfuls
Quantities gripped tightly
bunches · clusters · grips · clutches · wads · chunks · lumps · morsels · dollops · dabs
scoop
First-reported story
spoonful · teaspoon · tablespoon · dollop · dash · smidgen · sprinkle · portion · serving · ounce
plenty
Sufficient quantity, and then some
- overflowingExceeding capacity, spilling out
- bountifulPlentiful and generous
- copiousExisting in abundance
ample · plentiful · profusion · generous · heaping · spilling · excess · surplus · more than enough
few
Small in number
grasp
Seize or understand
carry · palm · juggle · balance · gather · scoop · grab · snatch · collect · cup
troublesome
Causing difficulty or annoyance
- challengingHard to accomplish
- unrulyDifficult to control
- rowdyNoisily disorderly
rascals · mischievous · demanding · wild · rambunctious · spirited · boisterous · lively · energetic · exhausting
handfulsmetric units
Decimal-based measurement standards
cups · tablespoons · grams · ounces · liters
- a handfulSmall amount grasped
- a handful of