handler

From Middle English handler, handiller, equivalent to handle +‎ -er.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhæn.dlə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhæn.dlɚ/
• Hyphenation: hand‧ler

handler (plural handlers)

1. (literally) One who handles something (especially manually) or someone.
   • 1984 December 8, Christine Guilfoy, “United Not Friendly To Workers With AIDS”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 21, page 1:

     Although the airline told them it took such action because they might spread the disease in their capacity as food handlers, neither was offered a transfer to other departments.

   The handler of a weapon gets a symbolic sensation of deadly power.

2. (in combination) A controller, trainer, someone who handles a specified thing, animal or person (especially a prizefighter).

   The spy's handler told him to approach the subject by posing as a dog handler.

   • 2017 July 7, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, “The ambitious War For The Planet Of The Apes ends up surrendering to formula”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     They are also very sympathetic, especially Caesar’s orangutan advisor, Maurice (Karin Konoval), who takes a shine to a human moppet (Amiah Miller) he finds hiding in the back of a shack, and the poignant Bad Ape (a scene-stealing Steve Zahn), a mangy chimp who was beaten so often in his zoo-animal days that he came to believe what his handlers were shouting was supposed to be his name.

3. (in combination) An advisor or manager providing guidance to a person occupying public office or a prominent position.

   The governor received guidance on how to best disseminate key information to the public from her handler.

4. (programming) A subroutine that handles a particular situation such as an event or exception.
   • 2006, Hans-Wolfgang Loidl, Trends in Functional Programming, volume 5, page 62:

     If the expression is a throw, we unwind the stack seeking a handler expression.

• event handler
• exception handler

• handlebar
• handleable
• handling

• manipulator

• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

handler c (singular definite handleren, plural indefinite handlere)

1. A (financial) trader

handler c

1. indefinite plural of handel

handler

1. present of handle

handler m

1. indefinite plural of handel

handler

1. present tense of handle

Unadapted borrowing from English handler.

handler m (plural handlers)

1. (ultimate frisbee) handler