handhold
Climber's secure point
A handhold is something you can grip for support or stability—a protrusion on a rock face, a bar on a bus, a ridge you can wrap your fingers around while climbing.
The word often appears in contexts involving precarious footing: She found a handhold and pulled herself up.
Figuratively, a handhold is anything that provides purchase on a difficult situation: The tutorial gave me a handhold on the new software.
Secure manual hold
Roadside safety barrier
- railingHorizontal safety bar
- banisterStairway handrail support
- grab barWall-mounted steadying handle
- strapNarrow flexible binding material
harness · tether · lifeline · anchor · stability · balance · support · security
Seize or understand
- claspSecuring device that clicks
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- squeezeFirm bilateral compression
- interlockJoin by overlapping
palm · fingers · steady · balance · assist · stabilize · guide · lift
Words meant to calm
- comfortEase or soothing relief
- solaceRelief from distress
- consolationComfort during distress
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
compassion · tenderness · warmth · care · support · encouragement · soothing · nurturing
Trusted wisdom-giving advisor
- coachOne who instructs
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- assistanceSupport or aid given
- walkthroughSequential instructional guide
tutorial · onboarding · orientation · instruction · step-by-step · scaffolding · training wheels · beginner
grip
Secure manual hold
- footholdStable position for advancement
- ledgeProjecting horizontal surface
- creviceNarrow opening in surface
crack · jug · crimp · sloper · pinch · pocket · edge · flake · knob · mantle
guardrail
Roadside safety barrier
strap · harness · tether · lifeline · anchor · stability · balance · support · security · grip
grasp
Seize or understand
- claspSecuring device that clicks
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- squeezeFirm bilateral compression
interlock · palm · fingers · steady · balance · assist · stabilize · guide · lift · brace
reassurance
Words meant to calm
- comfortEase or soothing relief
- solaceRelief from distress
- consolationComfort during distress
sympathy · compassion · tenderness · warmth · care · support · encouragement · soothing · nurturing · steadying
mentor
Trusted wisdom-giving advisor
- coachOne who instructs
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- assistanceSupport or aid given
walkthrough · tutorial · onboarding · orientation · instruction · step-by-step · scaffolding · training wheels · beginner · novice
- climbingrock climbing, free climbing, belay, bouldering, carabiner
- spacewalksEVA, spacewalk, spacewalker, spacesuit, space suit
- rock climbing termscliff face, vertical wall, crag, overhang, slab
- kindnesseskindness, kindnesses, good deeds, generosity, helpfulness
- mountaineeringsummit, alpinist, mountaineer, ice axe, ice axes
- rock crevicescrack, gap, fissure, cleft, fracture
handholdabandonment
Act of leaving permanently
sink or swim · trial by fire · deep end · misunderstanding · misconception