handwriting
gb/hˈændɹˌaɪtɪŋ/ us/hˈændɹˌaɪtɪŋ/
A2
Anglais
~ 7300
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
property
1
someone's style of writing by hand
The special way your letters and numbers look when you write by hand.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone]'s handwriting is [adjective]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes treat "handwriting" as plural and say *handwritings* or use a plural verb, e.g. *My handwriting are bad.* In standard English, "handwriting" is almost always uncountable and takes a singular verb: "My handwriting is bad." Learners may also confuse "handwriting" with "signature"; a signature is a person’s name written in a special way, while handwriting is their general style of writing.
Synonymes
writing (General term; can refer to content or style, while "handwriting" focuses on how the letters look when written by hand.)
|
penmanship (More formal and slightly old-fashioned; often used when judging the beauty or skill of handwriting.)
Antonymes
typing (Refers to producing text with a keyboard instead of writing by hand, so it contrasts with handwriting as a manual, pen-on-paper activity.)
Collocations
neat handwriting
|messy handwriting
|good handwriting
|bad handwriting
|illegible handwriting
|in [someone]'s handwriting
Thèmes
education
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Her handwriting is so neat that it looks like a font.
- The doctor’s handwriting was almost impossible to read.
- His handwriting changed after he injured his hand.
- The teacher praised Maria’s clear, careful handwriting.
- I recognized his handwriting on the envelope immediately.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Your handwriting is very clear.
- I cannot read this because the handwriting is bad.
- The teacher likes my neat handwriting.
- Her handwriting is small but easy to read.
- This note is in my mother’s handwriting.
Nom
B1
entity
2
text produced by writing by hand
Words on paper that someone wrote by hand, not with a computer or printer.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is in handwriting
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes say *handwritten* when they mean the noun, as in *I like your handwritten.* The correct noun is "handwriting": "I like your handwriting." "Handwritten" is an adjective used before a noun: "a handwritten note."
Synonymes
manuscript (Refers to a handwritten or typed document, especially a book or article before printing; more formal and often used in publishing or history.)
|
handwritten text (More explicit descriptive phrase; focuses only on the fact that the text is written by hand, without implying style.)
Antonymes
print (Refers to text produced by a printer or printing press, contrasting with text written by hand.)
Collocations
original handwriting
|handwriting on the note
|old handwriting
|in clear handwriting
Thèmes
education
|documents
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The letter is in her handwriting, so we know she wrote it.
- The museum displayed the poet’s original handwriting in a glass case.
- Please fill out the form in clear handwriting.
- The handwriting on this old postcard has faded with time.
- He kept the contract in her handwriting as proof.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This note is in my teacher’s handwriting.
- I like to keep cards with my friends’ handwriting.
- Please write your answers in handwriting, not on the computer.
- The diary is full of small, careful handwriting.
- We saw the king’s handwriting in the old book.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
handwriting
API
GB/hˈændɹˌaɪtɪŋ/
US/hˈændɹˌaɪtɪŋ/
Syllabes et accentuation
hand - writ - ing (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (hand)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: handwriting
- Plural: handwriting, handwritings
Famille de mots
Forms
handwritings
noun
Core family
handwritten
adjective
handwrite
verb
Related words
writing
noun A1
legible
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
illegible
adjective
unreadable
adjective
Advanced or less common
penmanship
noun
Expressions
the handwriting is on the wall
1/ðə hˈændɹˌaɪtɪŋ ˈɪz ˈɔn ðə wˈɔl/
idiom
clear sign of coming failure
There is a clear sign that something will soon fail or end badly, even if it has not happened yet.
Exemples
- Sales have fallen for three years in a row; the handwriting is on the wall for the company.
- When the star player left, the handwriting was on the wall for the team’s season.
- With so many people leaving the project, the handwriting is on the wall.