stickhandle

present singular third person stickhandles · participle present stickhandling · participle past stickhandled · past stickhandled

1. intransitivetransitivefield hockeyball gamesTo maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.

   Kovalev regained possession of the puck and stickhandled at full speed into neutral-zone open ice.

   2008 April 17, Dave Stubbs, “Lots of life left in Bruins”, in The Gazette, Montreal, retrieved 13 May 2008

2. CanadabroadlyTo deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.

   Obama, on the other hand, stickhandled his preacher problem and retained his poise and dignity.

   2008 May 8, Diane Francis, “Obama vs McCain. Finally”, in National Post, Canada, retrieved 13 May 2008

   1 more example

   He has ducked questions in Parliament on everything from Afghan detainees to Radarsat 2, leaving them to be stickhandled by other ministers.

   2008, "Editorial: Hillier goes, not Bernier, Toronto Star, 16 Apr. (retrieved 13 May 2008)