Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, portable magnifying glass with a handle: A hand glass is a simple optical instrument, a single convex lens mounted in a frame with a handle, used to produce an enlarged image of small objects for close inspection.
   • A small, handheld mirror: A hand glass is also a mirror, typically with a decorative frame and a handle, designed to be held in the hand for personal grooming or viewing one's reflection.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Magnifying Glass):
  • The jeweler used a hand glass to examine the intricate details of the watch mechanism.
  • She kept a hand glass in her sewing kit to help with threading needles.
• Noun (Handheld Mirror):
  • The actress checked her makeup in a silver hand glass before going on stage.
  • An antique hand glass with an ivory handle was displayed on the dressing table.

Advanced Usage

• The term is somewhat formal or old-fashioned. In modern, everyday contexts, the specific terms "magnifying glass" or "hand mirror" are more commonly used than the general term "hand glass."
• In historical or antique contexts, "hand glass" is frequently used to describe decorative handheld mirrors from past centuries.

Variants and Related Words

• Magnifying glass: The most common modern term for the optical tool.
• Hand mirror: The most common modern term for the reflective tool.
• Loupe: A small, high-power magnifying glass used by jewelers and watchmakers, often held in the eye socket or mounted on a headband.

Synonyms

• For the magnifying tool: magnifier, simple microscope, reading glass.
• For the mirror: hand mirror, vanity mirror.

Notes on Different Meanings

The two primary meanings of "hand glass" are distinct and relate to different functions: 1. The first meaning is an optical tool for magnification (a lens). 2. The second meaning is a grooming or personal tool for reflection (a mirror). Context always clarifies which meaning is intended.

Noun

1. light microscope consisting of a single convex lens that is used to produce an enlarged image
   • the magnifying glass was invented by Roger Bacon in 1250
2. a mirror intended to be held in the hand