the.com/fistful
A unit of measurement invented by whoever's hand is closest.
means As much of something as one hand can grab and hold in a clenched fist.
from A straightforward compound of 'fist' (from Old English 'fyst,' rooted deep in Germanic languages — related words show up in Old High German and beyond) plus the suffix '-ful,' meaning 'full of' or 'the amount that fills.' Same pattern as 'handful' or 'mouthful' — English loves measuring the world in body parts.
- official size
- whatever fits before fingers give out
- common use
- dollars, dirt, someone's collar
- precision level
- deliberately, satisfyingly approximate