different between characteristic vs hand

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????????????? (kharakt?ristikós), from ??????????? (kharakt?ríz?, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from ???????? (kharakt?r, “a mark, character”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?kæ??kt????st?k/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k???kt????st?k/
• Rhymes: -?st?k
• Hyphenation: char?ac?te?ris?tic

Adjective

characteristic (comparative more characteristic, superlative most characteristic)

1. Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.

Synonyms

• distinctive
• exclusive
• idiosyncratic
• indicative
• representative
• signature
• specific
• typical

Antonyms

• uncharacteristic
• untypical

Derived terms

• characteristic function
• characteristicness

Translations

Noun

characteristic (plural characteristics)

1. A distinguishing feature of a person or thing.
2. (mathematics) The integer part of a logarithm.
   • 1830, Solomon Pearson Miles, Thomas Sherwin, Mathematical Tables: Comprising Logarithms of Numbers, […] , page 69,

     It is evident, moreover, that as the logarithms of numbers, which are tenfold, the one of the other, do not differ except in their characteristics, it is sufficient that the tables contain the fractional parts only of the logarithms.

   • 1911, F. T. Swanwick, Elementary Trigonometry, Cambridge University Press, page 60,

     As the sine and cosine are always proper fractions their logarithms are negative, i.e. have negative characteristics. When we are given an angle, it is impossible to say, from inspection of the angle, what the characteristic of the logarithm of its sine, cosine or tangent may be; so the characteristics have to be printed with the mantissae.

   • 1961, Principles and Applications of Mathematics for Communications-Electronics, [U.S.] Department of the Army, page 69,

     Similarly, the characteristic for .003 is ?3, and the characteristic for .0003 is ?4.

3. (nautical) The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.).
4. (algebra, field theory, ring theory) For a given field or ring, a natural number that is either the smallest positive number n such that n instances of the multiplicative identity (1) summed together yield the additive identity (0) or, if no such number exists, the number 0.
   • 1962 [John Wiley & Sons], Nathan Jacobson, Lie Algebras, 1979, Dover, page 289,

     In this chapter we study the problem of classifying the finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras over an arbitrary field of characteristic 0.

   • 1992, Simeon Ivanov (translator), P. M. Gudivok, E. Ya. Pogorilyak, On Modular Representations of Finite Groups over Integral Domains, Simeon Ivanov (editor), Galois Theory, Rings, Algebraic Groups and Their Applications, American Mathematical Society, page 87,

     Let R be a Noetherian factorial ring of characteristic p which is not a field.

   • 1993, S. Warner, Topological Rings, Elsevier (North-Holland), page 424,

     Traditionally, a complete, discretely valued field of characteristic zero, the maximal ideal of whose valuation ring is generated by the prime number p, has been called a p-adic field. In our terminology, the valuation ring of a p-adic field is a Cohen ring of characteristic zero whose residue field has characteristic p, and consequently a p-adic field is simply the quotient field of such a Cohen ring.

Synonyms

• (distinguishing feature of a person or thing): attribute, hallmark, idiosyncrasy, mannerism, quality, tendency, trademark, trait
• See also Thesaurus:characteristic

Coordinate terms

• (part of a logarithm): mantissa

Derived terms

• defining characteristic

Related terms

• characteristically

Translations

See also

• mantissa

Further reading

• characteristic in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• characteristic in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Interlingua

Adjective

characteristic (not comparable)

1. characteristic

Related terms

• characteristica

English

Etymology

From Middle English hond, hand, from Old English hand (“hand, side (in defining position), power, control, possession, charge, agency, person regarded as holder or receiver of something”), from Proto-West Germanic *handu (“hand”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”) (compare Dutch, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish hand, German Hand, West Frisian hân), of uncertain origin. Perhaps compare Old Swedish hinna (“to gain”), Gothic ????????????-???????????????????????? (fra-hinþan, “to take captive, capture”); and Latvian s?ts (“hunting spear”), Ancient Greek ?????? (kenté?, “prick”), Albanian çandër (“pitchfork, prop”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: h?nd, IPA^(key): /hænd/
• Rhymes: -ænd

Noun

hand (plural hands)

1. The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals.

   Meronyms: index finger, middle finger, palm, pinky, ring finger, thumb

   • Using her hands like windshield wipers, she tried to flick snow away from her mouth. When she clawed at her chest and neck, the crumbs maddeningly slid back onto her face. She grew claustrophobic.

2. That which resembles, or to some extent performs the office of, a human hand.
   1. A limb of certain animals, such as the foot of a hawk, or any one of the four extremities of a monkey.
   2. An index or pointer on a dial; such as the hour and minute hands on the face of an analog clock, which are used to indicate the time of day.
3. That which is, or may be, held in a hand at once.
   1. (card games) The set of cards held by a player.
      1. A round of a card game.
   2. (tobacco manufacturing) A bundle of tobacco leaves tied together.
   4. (collective) A bunch of bananas.
4. That which has the appearance of, a human hand.
   1. A bunch of bananas, a typical retail amount, where individual fruits are fingers.
5. In linear measurement:
   1. (chiefly in measuring the height of horses) Four inches, a hand's breadth.
   2. (obsolete) Three inches.
6. A side; part, camp; direction, either right or left.
   • 1950, Bertrand Russell, acceptance speech for Nobel Prize in Literature

     I maintain, however, on the one hand, that there are few occasions upon which large bodies of men, such as politics is concerned with, can rise above selfishness, while, on the other hand, there are a very great many circumstances in which populations will fall below selfishness, if selfishness is interpreted as enlightened self-interest.

7. Power of performance; means of execution; ability; skill; dexterity.
8. (especially in compounds) An agent; a servant, or manual laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty.
9. A performer more or less skilful.
   • 1903, George Horace Lorimer, Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to his Son (page 46)

     At the church sociables he used to hop around among them, chipping and chirping like a dicky-bird picking up seed; and he was a great hand to play the piano, and sing saddish, sweetish songs to them.

10. An instance of helping.
11. Handwriting; style of penmanship.
12. A person's autograph or signature.

13. Personal possession; ownership.

    • Receiving in hand one year’s tribute.

14. (usually in the plural, hands) Management, domain, control.
15. Applause.
    • 2013, Tom Shone, Oscar nominations pull a surprise by showing some taste – but will it last? (in The Guardian, 11 January 2013)[4]

      Also a big hand for Silver Linings Playbook, an exuberant modern screwball comedy we had, in an unseemly fit of cynicism, deemed "too entertaining" for Academy voters.

16. (historical) A Native American gambling game, involving guessing the whereabouts of bits of ivory or similar, which are passed rapidly from hand to hand.
17. (firearms) The small part of a gunstock near the lock, which is grasped by the hand in taking aim.
18. A whole rhizome of ginger.
19. The feel of a fabric; the impression or quality of the fabric as judged qualitatively by the sense of touch.

20. (archaic) Actual performance; deed; act; workmanship; agency; hence, manner of performance.
21. (archaic) Agency in transmission from one person to another.

22. (obsolete) Rate; price.

Usage notes

Hand is used figuratively for a large variety of acts or things, in the doing, or making, or use of which the hand is in some way employed or concerned; also, as a symbol to denote various qualities or conditions, as,

(a) Activity; operation; work; — in distinction from the head, which implies thought, and the heart, which implies affection.

His hand will be against every man. — Genesis 16:12

(b) Power; might; supremacy; — often in the Scriptures.

With a mighty hand . . . will I rule over you. — Ezekiel 20:33.

(c) Fraternal feeling; for example to give, or take, the hand; to give the right hand

(d) Contract; — commonly of marriage; for example to ask the hand; to pledge the hand

Synonyms

• (part of the arm below the wrist): manus (formal), paw (of some animals)

Derived terms

Coordinate terms

Related terms

• handle

Translations

See hand/translations § Noun.

See also

Appendix:English collective nouns

Verb

hand (third-person singular simple present hands, present participle handing, simple past and past participle handed)

1. (transitive) To give, pass or transmit with the hand, literally or figuratively.

2. (transitive) To lead, guide, or assist with the hand; to conduct.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To manage.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To seize; to lay hands on.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

5. (transitive, rare) To pledge by the hand; to handfast.
6. (transitive, nautical, said of a sail) To furl.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Totten to this entry?)

7. (intransitive, obsolete) To cooperate.

Derived terms

Translations

References

• hand in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• Dahn, Danh, H-DNA, NADH, dahn, hDNA

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch hand, from Middle Dutch hant, from Old Dutch hant, from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ant/

Noun

hand (plural hande, diminutive handjie)

1. A hand.

Derived terms

• handskoen

Danish

Pronoun

hand

1. Obsolete spelling of han (“he”)

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch hant, from Old Dutch hant, from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nt/
• Hyphenation: hand
• Rhymes: -?nt

Noun

hand f (plural handen, diminutive handje n)

1. A hand of a human, other simian or other animal with fingers.

Derived terms

Descendants

• Afrikaans: hand

French

Etymology

Clipping of handball. Compare foot from football.

Pronunciation

• ^{(aspirated h)} IPA^(key): /??d/

Noun

hand m (uncountable)

1. The sport handball.

Synonyms

• handball

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English hand

Noun

hand (plural hands)

1. Alternative form of hond (“hand”)

Descendants

• English: hand

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• hånd

Etymology

From Old Norse h?nd, from Proto-Germanic *handuz

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /han/, [h?n]
• Homophones: han, hann
• Rhymes: -?n

Noun

hand f or m (definite singular handa or handen, indefinite plural hender, definite plural hendene)

1. (anatomy) A hand.

Derived terms

Related terms

• hanske (“glove”)

References

“hand” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse h?nd, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. Akin to English hand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /h?nd/, /h?n?/ (examples of pronunciation)
• Homophones: han, hann (in some dialects)
• Rhymes: -?n

Noun

hand f (definite singular handa, indefinite plural hender, definite plural hendene)

1. (anatomy) A hand.

Derived terms

Related terms

• hanske (“glove”)

References

• “hand” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Alternative forms

• hond

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. Compare Old Frisian and Old Saxon hand, Old High German hant, Old Norse h?nd.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /x?nd/, [h?nd]

Noun

hand f (nominative plural handa)

1. A hand.

Declension

Derived terms

• handb?c
• hand?ewrit

Descendants

• Middle English: hond, hand
  • English: hand
  • Scots: hand, haund
  • Yola: hoane

Old Frisian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?hand/

Noun

hand f

1. Alternative form of hond

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. Compare Old Frisian and Old English hand, Old High German hant, Old Norse h?nd.

Noun

hand f

1. A hand.

Declension

Descendants

• Middle Low German: hant
  • German Low German: Hand
  • Westphalian:

    Westmünsterländisch: Hand

    Ravensbergisch-Lippisch: Hand

  • Plautdietsch: Haunt

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse h?nd, from Proto-Germanic *handuz.

Noun

hand f

1. A hand
2. A direction
3. A behalf
4. A sort, kind.

Declension

Descendants

• Swedish: hand

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse h?nd, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. Cognate with Danish hånd, Norwegian hand, English hand and German Hand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hand/

Noun

hand c

1. (anatomy) A hand.

2. (card games) A hand; the set of cards held by a player.

Declension

Related terms

References

• hand in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)