handsome

Definitions

hand + -some ('tending to') first meant 'easy to handle, handy, suitable.' A handsome tool was a convenient one. 'Suitable, fitting' drifted two ways: toward generous size (a handsome sum) and toward pleasing looks (a handsome man). The appearance sense became dominant, hiding the word's literal start in 'easy to handle.'

Why It Means This

Handsome is the hand family's biggest surprise: it has nothing to do with hands as we now use it. Built from hand + -some, it meant 'handy, suitable' in Middle English. From 'fitting' it grew to mean 'generous, ample' (a handsome reward, still common today) and 'fine to look at.' The looks meaning eventually took over for describing men, leaving the original 'easy to handle' sense buried in etymology.

Common Collocations

• 1.a handsome man英俊的男子
• 2.handsome reward丰厚的报酬
• 3.handsome profit可观的利润
• 4.handsome sum一大笔钱

Example Sentences

• 1.

  He was a tall, handsome man with a warm smile.

• 2.

  She made a handsome profit on the sale of her house.

• 3.

  They offered a handsome reward for the lost dog.

Easily Confused

handsome vs beautiful vs good-looking — handsome traditionally describes men (and 'fitting, generous' amounts); beautiful is broader and often used for women, scenery, and art; good-looking is the neutral, everyday word for either sex. Calling a woman handsome is rare and suggests striking, strong features rather than delicate prettiness.