What does barehanded mean?
"Barehanded" describes doing something with uncovered hands — either without gloves or protective coverings, or without any tool or weapon at all. It functions chiefly as an adverb and attributive adjective, appearing most often in descriptions of physical action: a fielder making a barehanded throw, someone lifting a hot pan barehanded, workers digging barehanded through hard soil. The word carries strong connotations: in sports it suggests audacity and skill, since forgoing equipment raises the difficulty of the task, while in accounts of labor or survival it can suggest hardship or improvisation under difficult conditions. Related forms such as "barefoot," "bareheaded," and "bareback" show a familiar English pattern of combining "bare" with body-related words to signal the absence of protection or equipment. Whether spelled "barehanded" or "bare-handed," it remains a vivid, concrete way to emphasize direct, unprotected contact between skin and task.
Not wearing gloves or other covering on the hands; using the hands directly without a tool or weapon.
"She reached into the icy water barehanded to free the tangled rope."
Most often used attributively before a verb or noun phrase, e.g. "a barehanded catch."
In a manner involving the use of bare hands, without gloves, tools, or weapons.
"The mason worked barehanded despite the freezing morning air."
In baseball, a barehanded play is so risky that pulling it off cleanly is considered a highlight-reel feat of pure confidence.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of barehanded
The compound "barehanded" combines the Old English adjective "bær" (bare) with the Old English noun "hand," both of Germanic origin. It follows the same productive English pattern that gave rise to "barefoot," "bareheaded," and "bareback," all formed from "bare" plus a body part to indicate the absence of covering or equipment. The word has been established in English since at least the early modern period, and its use expanded notably with the growth of organized baseball in the nineteenth century, where "barehanded" fielding became a recognized feat of skill.
How barehanded is actually used
Commonly written "bare-handed" in British usage; American style often favors the closed form "barehanded." The word carries a connotation of daring, skill, or hardship, depending on context — admirable in sports, grueling in manual labor.
Easily confused with barehanded
"Barehanded" means using hands without gloves or tools, while "empty-handed" means returning with nothing in one's hands or having gained nothing.