Definition of "open-handed"

Hitters use the open-handed tip to try to softly place the ball over the blockers or into other open areas of the opponent's court.

2007, American Sport Education Program, Coaching Youth Volleyball

Visual gaze toward the mother was present with the children's earliest gestures, but only in those cases where the gesture was itself directed toward the mother, such as extending objects toward the mother or open-handed reaching or pointing toward objects held by the mother.

2012, Virginia Volterra, Carol J. Erting, From Gesture to Language in Hearing and Deaf Children

And there were other words that stung his ears like hail: 'Slut! Bitch! Whore!' each accompanied by a noise: the open-handed slap that sounded like the tearing ofcalico, the dull thud followed by a gasp as a bunched fist slammed into yielding flesh, the reedy shriek and the gurgling sob -- and eventually the whistling breaths as Jessie climbed the stairs and shouted until she made herself heard that if they didn't stop their racket right this minute then she'd be calling the bobbies.

2014, Kathleen Conlon, Different Ways of Dancing

'No, no,' said the undertaker; 'not an open-handed gentleman in general, by any means. There you mistake him; but an afflicted gentleman, an affectionate gentleman, who knows what it is in the power of money to do, in giving him relief, and in testifying his love and veneration for the departed.'

1844, Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit

"I'll do the old gorilla the justice to say that he is open-handed with money."

1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed‎

Despite Gustavus' open-handed dealing, many princes of Europe did not trust him.

2012, Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Gustavus Adolphus

She sat there for more than three hours, as sheet after sheet became covered with her open-handed writing.

2011, Faith Mortimer, The Assassins' Village

Winding their way to the land of snow and ice they saw approaching a band of warriors covered with emblems of peace,and, leaving their stony weapons in care of the younger braves, they walked open-handed to meet the strangers.

1884, Owahyah, Birch Bark Legends of Niagara

Open-handed, he walked steadily down the slope, stepping over the crumpled bodies on the blood-damp grass.

2014, Ian Ross, War at the Edge of the World

She had brought her hand across to lie open-handed on his chest.

2001, Vincent O'Sullivan, Let the River Stand

The money here was given open-handed, and Parliament was not to be informed what was to be done with it.

1876, Thomas Curson Hansard, Hansard's Parliamentary Debates, page 28