Meaning of "handfuls"

Question

Hi,What does "two handfuls of degenerates" mean? It means some degenerates? or two degenerates who are trouble makers? Thanks,M

Avangi · Accepted Answer

In my opinion, your author has coined a phrase.

My three-year-old is really a handful.
My three-year-old twins are really two handfuls.

"To be a handful" is an idiom similar to "I really have my hands full with my three-year-old."

In the original meaning, a handful is just what it says.

I have a handful of grain. I have two handsful of grain.

As to the correct plural, it's one of those danged things I always have to look up. ("Two spoonsful"?)

I think it's "handsful," but in your quote, I'm leaning toward "handfuls," because it's a special situation.

I'm sure others will disagree.

Since it's not a common usage, and is based on the corruption of an idiom,
it's impossible (without context) to say whether there are two people, or more than two people involved.

"A handful of people" is an idiom, and makes no sense in the plural.
It would mean "a few people" when used in the singular, as I believe you know.

"A handful of grain" is an approximate method of measuring.
"Two handsful of grain" would be twice as much grain.
But I'm sure you can hold more grain by cupping your two hands together than you can with your two hands separately.

You would say that a whole room full of seventh graders are "a handful."
If you say that two rooms full are two handfuls, you're just playing with words, or attempting to coin a phrase.
It's tongue-in-cheek.

- A.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi M,

When I read that sentence, I immediately thought of one handful being a few or about five of them, while two would be around ten.

Hope this helps

Mitsuo23 · Answer

Thank you, it'll make sense to me.<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Meaning of "handfuls"

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