handshake
gb/hˈændʃˌeɪk/ us/hˈændʃˌeɪk/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
a greeting by shaking hands
A greeting where two people hold and shake hands.
Usage pattern:
give [someone] a handshake; [someone]'s handshake
Common mistake:
Learners may say *make a handshake*; more natural is *shake hands* or *give (someone) a handshake*.
Synonyms
handclasp (More formal or literary; focuses on the clasping of hands.)
|
shake (Informal shortening; often used in phrases like 'a quick shake'.)
Collocations
firm handshake
|weak handshake
|quick handshake
|warm handshake
|awkward handshake
|handshake and a smile
|handshake greeting
|handshake photo
|offer a handshake
|accept a handshake
Themes
daily_life
|social
|manners
Examples
- They exchanged a quick handshake and went into the meeting.
- His firm handshake made a good first impression.
- She hesitated, then accepted the handshake.
Learner examples
- We gave each other a handshake.
- He has a firm handshake.
Noun
business
B2
abstract
2
an informal agreement without writing
An agreement that is not written down, based only on trust.
Usage pattern:
a handshake [deal/agreement]; on a handshake; sealed with a handshake
Common mistake:
This meaning is about an agreement, not the physical greeting; context often includes words like *deal* or *agreement*.
Synonyms
gentleman's agreement (Emphasizes trust and social honor; can sound old-fashioned or gendered.)
|
informal agreement (Neutral description without the image of shaking hands.)
Antonyms
written contract (A formal agreement recorded in writing and usually legally enforceable.)
Collocations
handshake deal
|handshake agreement
|handshake arrangement
|sealed with a handshake
|based on a handshake
|nothing more than a handshake
|a simple handshake
|honor a handshake
|break a handshake deal
|rely on a handshake
Themes
business
|law
|relationships
Examples
- It was a handshake deal, so there was nothing in writing.
- They reached an agreement on a handshake and started work the next day.
- The partnership began as a handshake arrangement between friends.
Learner examples
- We made a handshake deal.
- There was no written contract—only a handshake.
Noun
technical
C1
process
3
signals exchanged to start a connection
In computing, the messages computers send to start a connection.
Usage pattern:
[protocol] handshake; perform a handshake; complete the handshake
Common mistake:
This meaning is technical and unrelated to physical handshakes; it commonly appears with terms like *TCP* or *TLS*.
Synonyms
negotiation (Emphasizes agreeing connection settings; less specific than 'handshake'.)
|
setup exchange (Plain-language description; not a fixed technical term.)
Collocations
TCP handshake
|three-way handshake
|TLS handshake
|SSL handshake
|handshake protocol
|handshake message
|handshake failure
|complete the handshake
|perform a handshake
|handshake timeout
Themes
technology
|computing
|networking
Examples
- The connection failed during the TLS handshake.
- A three-way handshake is used to establish a TCP connection.
- If the handshake times out, the client retries the request.
Learner examples
- The server and the client complete the handshake.
Grammar
Expressions
golden handshake
1/ɡˈoʊldən hˈændʃˌeɪk/
fixed phrase
business
large payment when leaving a job
A big amount of money given to someone when they leave a job.
Examples
- The CEO left with a golden handshake worth several million dollars.
- Critics argued the golden handshake was unjustified after the company’s poor results.
- The board offered him a golden handshake to resign quietly.
secret handshake
1/sˈikɹɪt hˈændʃˌeɪk/
fixed phrase
special handshake used by a group
A special handshake that shows you are part of a group.
Examples
- The club members greeted each other with a secret handshake.
- It felt like the new software had a secret handshake you needed to know to get access.
- They joked about having a secret handshake for the team.