by hand

phrase

1
: with the hands or a hand-worked implement (such as a tool or pen) rather than with a machine
2
: from one individual directly to another
deliver the document by hand

Examples of by hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hundreds of pinprick holes had been bored into the metal undercarriage, and each one had to be deburred by hand. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 The cover crops have to come down so the farm can plant rice, so Lundberg and the California Waterfowl Association comb the fields first and gather any eggs by hand. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026 The landscape was stunning and the fact that humans could construct such feats of engineering by hand further compelled us to at least endure a visit. — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Each spring, before the tractors roll in, Lundberg teams up with the California Waterfowl Association to search the cover crops for nests and collect any eggs by hand. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by hand

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of by hand was before the 12th century

Rhymes for by hand

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Browse Nearby Words

by halves
by hand
by heart
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“By hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20hand. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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