Sekirov Dictionary

handicap

/ˈhændikæp/

noun 6
verb 3
forms 3

noun6

•
Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.
- Age is often a handicap.
An individual's physical or mental disadvantage or disability.
•
An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success.
- The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.
- A handicap in chess often involves removal of the queen's rook.
A race or similar contest in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.
•
(no longer used) An old card game, similar to lanterloo.
- Here some of us fell to handicap, a sport that I never knew before, which was very good. — 1660
(no longer used) Synonym of hand-in-cap (“old English trading game”).

verb3

To encumber with a handicap in any contest.
•
(figurative) To place at disadvantage.
- The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience.
•
To estimate betting odds.
- Grandpa Andy would buy the racing form the day ahead of time so he could handicap the race before he even arrived at the track.

forms

handicapped · handicapping · handicaps

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