around a hand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "around a hand" is not commonly used in written English and may be unclear without context.
It could be used in a context where you are describing something that is encircling or surrounding a hand, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The bracelet wrapped snugly around a hand, glinting in the sunlight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

To this day, Churchill makes a point of passing around a hand ax made by a much older hominid, Homo erectus, when he teaches his human evolution class at Duke. "Just in case one of the students makes the same kind of connection," he says.

Duke University

It revolves around a hand model who moves into a flat with a group of people who are significantly better-looking than him.

The Guardian

Eyes roll, mouths hang open midbelch, and a small turkey -- the kind children make by drawing around a hand -- glares wide-eyed at the brother as he slurps his soup.

The New York Times - Books

We write with dirt under our fingernails". And so, rather than electric cars and oil in the ground, we are left with a smaller idea of salvation: a little literary movement of the kind that might have gathered around a hand press in a Sussex village c1925, facing the real uncivilisation that has still to come.

The Guardian - Books

At its centre, a metal pipe – around a hand's width in diameter – is mounted horizontally between the grey concrete walls.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I moodied around with a hand hoe, tidied up, chewed wild bittercress.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Walk around wearing a hand puppet.

WikiHow

Behind her, three friends furtively passed around a hand-rolled cigarette, content to let Juliana do the talking.

The New Yorker

We built a fire and sat around a hand-cranked radio, but I was diverted over and over by the little campfire of Twitter posts on my smartphone.

The New York Times

Near the D. J., a circle of middle-aged men passed around a hand-held microphone and rapped in the clever, goofy style of early hip-hop.

The New York Times

"I think people always feel a bit nervous around a hand-over," she says of inheriting Mr. Buford's authors, "so with some of the really neurotic, anxious writers you just want to say, 'Hello, I like you, too.' " Ms. Treisman grew up a loner, and bookish.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider stronger verbs to give clearer context. For example, instead of "something around a hand" say "The snake coiled around a hand"

Common error

Avoid using "around a hand" in overly general descriptions. Specify what is near or encircling the hand to provide a clearer and more vivid image for the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "around a hand" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or verb by indicating the relative position or spatial relationship involving a hand. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase needs context to be more clear.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

20%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "around a hand" is a prepositional phrase used to describe the position of something relative to a hand. Ludwig AI notes that, in most contexts, the phrase could benefit from further specification. While grammatically correct and sourced from various reliable sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, its frequency is common. The register is typically neutral, making it suitable for both formal and informal communication. When using "around a hand", be sure to clearly indicate what is encircling or near the hand to avoid vague descriptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encircling a hand

Focuses on the action of completely surrounding the hand.

surrounding a hand

Similar to encircling, but emphasizes the hand being in the center.

enclosing a hand

Focuses on containing the hand within something.

in proximity to a hand

Highlights nearness, not necessarily contact or enclosure.

near a hand

A simpler way to indicate closeness to the hand.

adjacent to a hand

Emphasizes that something is next to the hand.

close to a hand

Indicates a small distance from the hand.

around the hand area

Refers to the general vicinity of the hand, not necessarily touching it.

grasping a hand

Highlights the action of holding the hand.

cupping a hand

Describes the act of forming a curved shape with the hand.

FAQs

How can I use "around a hand" in a sentence?

Use "around a hand" to describe something encircling, near, or in proximity to someone's hand. For example: "She wrapped a bandage around her hand after the accident".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "around a hand"?

You can use alternatives such as "encircling a hand", "surrounding a hand", or "near a hand" depending on the specific context.

How does "around a hand" differ from "in the hand"?

"Around a hand" implies encirclement or proximity, while "in the hand" means something is being held or contained within the hand itself.

Is "around a hand" a formal or informal expression?

"Around a hand" is a neutral expression suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The formality depends more on the surrounding sentence structure and vocabulary.