english
1
general::
noun amount that can be held in one hand ADJ. good | double She bent and pulled up a double handful of weeds. PREP. ~ of She grabbed handfuls of the dirty snow. small number of people/things ADJ. small, tiny | mere having to cope with a mere handful of staff | good He has a good handful of letters after his name. PREP. ~ of a handful of people PHRASES just/only a handful of sth We have received only a small handful of letters on this subject.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
2
general::
noun
difficult:
The small boy was a handful.
Simple Definitions
3
general::
Phrase(s): *a handful
Fig. someone, often a child, who is difficult to deal with. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) • Bobby can be a real handful when he needs a nap.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs