1 [+ obj] a : to touch, feel, hold, or move (something) with your hand
▪ Handle the fruit carefully or it will bruise. ▪ The baked potatoes were too hot to handle with our bare hands.
b : to manage or control (something) with your hands
▪ He knows how to handle a motorcycle. ▪ He handles his motorcycle well. ▪ She learned how to handle a weapon. 2 [+ obj] : to do the work required for (something)
▪ She handles all the bookkeeping. ▪ The system is handled by the main computer. ▪ She's proven that she can handle anything. ▪ The airport handles both passenger and cargo flights. 3 [+ obj] : to deal with (a person, situation, etc.) successfully
▪ She couldn't handle being away from her children for more than a couple of days. ▪ He's having a hard time handling the pressure of his new job. ▪ A good politician knows how to handle the press. ▪ Do you think he can handle the truth? 4 [+ obj] : to express thoughts about (something) in a piece of music, writing, or art
▪ The class discussed how the author handled [=dealt with] the theme of loneliness in the novel. 5 [+ obj] : to be involved with the buying or selling of (something)
▪ They own a store that handles rugs. ▪ He was arrested for handling stolen goods. 6 [no obj] — used to describe how easy or difficult it is to control a vehicle ▪ I'm looking for a car that handles well in the snow. ▪ “How does his motorcycle handle?” “It handles very well.”