handy man
Definition
- Noun:
- A person skilled in practical tasks: A "handy man" (or handyman) is a person who is good at doing various small repairs and maintenance jobs, typically around a house or building.
- An informal term for a sailor: In informal usage, "handy man" can also refer to a sailor who performs miscellaneous tasks on a ship.
Usage Examples
- (A person skilled in household repairs.)
- (A sailor performing varied duties.)
- (A person with versatile practical skills.)
Advanced Usage
"to be a handy man around the house": to be capable of performing common household repairs.
- He is known as the local handy man who can repair anything from a door hinge to a washing machine. (He is skilled in many domestic tasks.)
"handy man service": a business or service that offers small repair and maintenance work.
- We hired a handy man service to paint the fence and fix the garden gate. (A professional service for odd jobs.)
Variants and Related Words
Handyman (n, alternative spelling): the same meaning as "handy man."
- The handyman arrived with a toolbox full of equipment. (The repair person.)
Handy (adj): convenient, useful, or skilled with one's hands.
- She is very handy with a hammer and saw. (Skilled at using tools.)
Handiwork (n): work done by hand, or the result of such work.
- This cabinet is the handiwork of a skilled carpenter. (The product of manual skill.)
Synonyms
- Jack-of-all-trades: a person who can do many different types of work.
- Repairman: a person who fixes things professionally.
- Odd-jobber: someone who does various small tasks, especially temporarily.
- Tinker: a person who travels from place to place mending things (historical term).
Phrasal Verbs
Fix up: to repair or improve something.
- He fixed up the old bike in an afternoon. (Repaired thoroughly.)
Tinker with: to attempt to repair or adjust something in an unskilled way.
- He tinkered with the engine but couldn't get it running. (Made small, often ineffective adjustments.)
Related Idioms
A man of many trades: someone skilled in various occupations.
- Our neighbor is a man of many trades; he can plumb, wire a house, and build furniture. (Very versatile.)
To have a green thumb: to be good at gardening (not directly related but often associated with a handy man's skills).
- She has a green thumb, so her garden is always beautiful. (Skilled at growing plants.)