Onehand

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Definitions

1. Performed or handled using only a single hand, with the other hand left free or unused
2. Describing an action carried out by one hand alone, without help from the other
3. Done or managed with a single hand rather than requiring both hands to complete

Etymology: "Onehand" is a plain English compound: "one" plus "hand," meaning done or operated with a single hand. The word is formed by simply joining the two elements, and its sense follows directly from them, so there is no surprising shift in meaning to report. Its component parts are both very old. "One" comes from Old English "ān," and "hand" from Old English "hand," both long established in the language well before any compound like this was made. Compounds built this way, with a number and a body part, are a common English pattern, as in "one-sided" or "two-handed."