fist — a person's hand when the fingers are bent in toward the palm and held there tightly
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person's hand when the fingers are bent in toward the palm and held there tightly
Pronunciation (IPA): /fɪst/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's tiny fist was surprisingly strong when she knocked on doors.
- The protesters raised their fists in solidarity.
- He tried to open the jar with his fist, which was not his brightest idea.
fist
NOUN[/fɪst/]
a person's hand when the fingers are bent in toward the palm and held there tightly
She raised her fist high after winning the final match.
The fighter tightened his fist before delivering the final punch. (FIGHT + GRIP = FIST → a strong closed hand used in fighting)
They raised their fists to resist oppression and persist through the struggle together.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word originates from Old English 'fyst', derived from Germanic roots. Originally denoting the action of grasping or clenching with the hand, it evolved over time to refer to the closed hand itself as a noun.
Breakdown
Old English 'fyst' from Germanic *fustiz, related to the concept of a closed or clenched hand; the morphological shift from verb (to clench) to noun (the fist) reflects semantic grammaticalization common in Germanic languages.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's tiny fist was surprisingly strong when she knocked on doors.”
“The protesters raised their fists in solidarity.”
“He tried to open the jar with his fist, which was not his brightest idea.”
“She clenched her fists nervously before the job interview.”
📚Related Words
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