open-handed

Meaning

1. 1adjectivecomparableapproving

   Willing to give freely, especially money, time or hospitality, without worrying about the cost.

   Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: an open-handed host; she is open-handed.

   Patterns

   • open-handed with something
   • be open-handed to someone

   My uncle was always open-handed with tips, even when money was tight.

   The open-handed neighbors left fresh bread on every doorstep at Christmas.

   She was open-handed to anyone who asked for help.

Word forms

Common combinations

open-handed with money

He was open-handed with money but stingy with praise.

an open-handed host

We remember her as an open-handed host who never let a glass sit empty.

open-handed generosity

The charity depends on the open-handed generosity of local families.

remarkably open-handed

The old banker was remarkably open-handed in his later years.

Synonyms and how they differ

generous

Generous is the everyday word and can describe any giving; open-handed stresses a freely spending, hospitable manner.

liberal

Liberal is more formal and often describes the amount given, as in a liberal helping, rather than the character of the giver.

lavish

Lavish suggests giving or spending on a grand, even excessive scale, while open-handed is warmer and less showy.

Opposites

Word family

open-handedly adverb

in a freely giving way

open-handedness noun

the quality of being generous

handed adjective

having a certain type of hands or manner, as in left-handed

Commonly confused: open-handed or open-minded?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “open-handed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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