How Do You Spell HANDICAP?

1. Handicap can serve as both a noun and a verb, possessing various meanings depending on the context. As a noun, it primarily refers to a physical or mental impairment that limits an individual's abilities to perform certain tasks, often resulting in a developmental disadvantage or hindered functioning. It can also encompass a disadvantage given that individual in competitive activities, such as sports, to equalize opportunities for different skill levels. Furthermore, handicap can denote a numerical score representing a player's expected performance in a game or competition, used to determine advantageous conditions or adjust scoring accordingly.

   As a verb, handicap denotes the act of placing a disadvantage or impediment, often to make conditions more equal. This can apply to a range of situations, such as assigning additional weight or challenges to equilibrate competition or providing accommodations to ensure fairness for individuals with disabilities.

   In a broader sense, handicap can extend to any disadvantage, obstacle, or limitation that hampers a person's progress or success in a particular area of life. This encompasses circumstances beyond physical or mental impairments, such as societal or environmental barriers. The term is also employed metaphorically to describe various forms of setbacks or hindrances that impede progress or achievement, both individually and collectively.

2. A race in which the horses carry different weights according to age and character for speed, or are placed at different distances, or start at different times, &c., with the view of equalising the chances as nearly as possible; the term is said to have been originally applied to the method of settling a bargain by putting a hand with money into a cap.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for HANDICAP *

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Other Common Misspellings for HANDICAP

The word handicap originated in 17th century England and initially referred to a game of chance called hand in cap. This game involved drawing the names of the players from a hat or cap. When one player was deemed to have an advantage, often due to being more skilled, the weaker player would receive a disadvantage or a handicap. Over time, the term handicap was adopted into other areas, such as sports, to describe a disadvantage given to a contestant or competitor to level the playing field. The word handicap combines the terms hand (referring to the drawing of names from a cap) and cap.

Similar spelling words for HANDICAP

Plural form of HANDICAP is HANDICAPS

Conjugate verb Handicap

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