Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Involving direct physical contact.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • At close quarters; in personal encounter.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective close to one's adversary; -- of combat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Close together, within arm's reach.
  • adjective Especially, fighting done within reach rather than at range. May or may not indicate unarmed combat.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb at close quarters
  • adjective being at close quarters

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • Down the block were other groups of young men that were known as hand-to-hand drug dealers.

    Respect The Jux Frank C. Matthews 2010

  • “Last time I got this kind of workout I put Sawyer under,” Mason muttered, referring to a hand-to-hand match he’d had with Sawyer when he, Anna and Julie had been trying to escape from Washington.

    Thunder and Ashes Z.A. Recht 2008

  • But some investors may be upset about such a large payment in the wake of Mr. Moynihan's pledge last year to engage in "day-to-day, hand-to-hand combat" against investors demanding that the bank repurchase bad loans—called "put-back" demands—and "not just do a settlement to move the matter behind us."

    BofA Nears Huge Settlement Dan Fitzpatrick 2011

  • Had Gyi not perpetrated his egregious war-veteran fraud, he now could be widely revered, and deservedly so, as one of the finest hand-to-hand combat instructors ever to teach on American soil.

    Dr Gyi 2010

  • But certified mail here in Mexico was at that time delivered hand-to-hand with each person signing for the document.

    W-2's and taxes 2009

  • There is no hand-to-hand fighting, no crash of cannon and flash of cutlass, no sailors drinking grog, no lighted matches held over open powder-magazines.

    CHAPTER XLIV 2010

  • Eventually did several tour in Vietnam, lots of hand-to-hand combat, etc.

    Heroes or Villains? 2010

  • He said he participated in several infantry actions, including hand-to-hand combat in which he and other Gurkhas killed with kukris.

    Dr Gyi 2010

  • But certified mail here in Mexico was at that time delivered hand-to-hand with each person signing for the document.

    W-2's and taxes 2009

  • Then it will be blow for blow, hand-to-hand, and the strongest pates and arms will win.

    CHAPTER XLIV 2010

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