handful of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "handful of time" is not correct in standard English; the correct expression is "a handful of time." You can use it to refer to a small amount of time available for a task or activity.
Example: "I only have a handful of time before my next meeting, so I need to work quickly."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

The FBI has issued NSLs well over a hundred thousand times in the past decade, yet they've only been challenged in court a handful of time.

The Guardian - Opinion

A handful of time shares have even crept into New York, Boston, San Francisco and a few other big cities, but industry officials say construction and land costs in urban areas will sharply limit their numbers.

The New York Times

Fox-Pitt, 47, had led the competition after the two-day dressage phase and looked on course to write a fairytale comeback story but an early error and a handful of time faults dropped him way off the medal pace in 22nd position.

The Guardian - Sport

A handful of time and motion studies on treatment of bone metastases have been published.

Cancer Management and Research

Indeed, many time series consist of maybe a dozen quantities, measured at a handful of time points, and replicates are usually scarce.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He wept in her presence a handful of times.

The New York Times

He's done it a handful of times.

The New York Times - Sports

We've spoken a handful of times over the years.

The New York Times

Clay Matthews more than dominated him a handful of times.

The New York Times

It's only happened a handful of times".

The New York Times

So she visited him a handful of times at a federal prison in Butner, N.C.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer the grammatically correct phrase "a handful of times" when referring to multiple occurrences of something. For duration, alternatives like "a short time" or "a brief period" are appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "handful of time" when you intend to express that something occurred several times. The correct phrase for multiple occurrences is "a handful of times".

Linguistic Context

The phrase is intended to function as an adverbial modifier, specifying the extent of time. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a handful of time".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "handful of time" appears in some contexts, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase to use is "a handful of time" when referring to a small amount of time, or "a handful of times" for multiple occurrences. Ludwig AI emphasizes the importance of using the grammatically correct forms to ensure clear and effective communication. Alternative phrases such as "limited time" or "short time" may be preferable in formal writing to avoid grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a short time

Highlights the briefness of the time.

limited time

Focuses on the restriction of time available, omitting the figurative aspect of "handful".

a bit of time

Replaces the precise quantifier with an informal quantifier.

small amount of time

Replaces the figurative "handful" with a literal descriptor of quantity.

limited duration

Focuses on the temporal extent being restricted.

brief period

Emphasizes the shortness of the time span.

few moments

Emphasizes the limited amount of time available measured in unspecified moments.

short while

Uses more informal language to indicate a small duration.

scant time

Implies not enough time.

fleeting moment

Highlights the transient nature of the time available.

FAQs

What does "handful of time" mean?

The phrase "handful of time" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "a handful of time", which refers to a small amount of time.

How do I use "a handful of time" in a sentence?

You can use "a handful of time" to indicate a limited amount of time available for something. For example, "I only have "a handful of time" before my next meeting, so I need to work quickly."

What's the difference between "handful of time" and "a handful of times"?

"Handful of time" is grammatically incorrect. "A handful of times" refers to something that has occurred on a few separate occasions. For example, "I've seen that movie "a handful of times"."

What can I say instead of "a handful of time"?

If you want to convey a small quantity of time, consider alternatives like "a short time", "a little time", or "a brief period".