handicap

plural handicaps

1. countableuncountableSomething that prevents, hampers, or hinders.

   Age is often a handicap.

   1 more example

   Captain Edward Carlisle[…]felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,[…]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.

   1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

2. countableuncountablehobbiesAn 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.

   A handicap in chess often involves removal of the queen's rook.

   2 more examples

   The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.

   Eventually the elephant and camel were depatched by themselves with two laps start of the bicyclist and horse, the motor car being scratch. It was a sensational race owing to the conduct of the field, but on the handicap the elephant won, bicycle second, motor car third.

   1901, “Gleanings”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record, volume 4, number 1, page 31

3. countableuncountablesometimes considered offensiveAn individual's physical or mental disadvantage or disability.
4. countableuncountableA race or similar contest in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.
5. obsoleteuncountablecard gamesAn 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, Samuel Pepys, Diary of Samuel Pepys, page 95

6. obsoleteuncountableSynonym of hand-in-cap (“old English trading game”).

   Synonyms: hand-in-cap

present singular third person handicaps · participle present handicapping · participle past handicapped · past handicapped

1. transitiveTo encumber with a handicap in any contest.
2. broadlyfigurativelytransitiveTo place at disadvantage.

   The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience.

3. 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.