lighthanded
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Forms: form: more lighthanded
form: most lighthanded
Senses: examples: text: FERC then drew on a potentially significant dictum from Farmers Union II: "Moving from heavy to lighthanded regulation within the boundaries of an unchanged statute can ... be justified by a showing that under current circumstances the goal and purposes of the statute will be accomplished through substantially less regulatory oversight."
ref: 2012, Michael A. Crew, Competition and the Regulation of Utilities, →ISBN, page 81:
text: On the other hand, lighthanded methods are believed to have more subtle effects on behaviors, often through influencing attitudes, creating knowledge, or manipulating the environment to accomplish desirable ends.
ref: 1997, U.S. National Conference on State Parks, Trends, page 33:
text: Does it reflect your position toward the other agencies that, in the words of your Deputy, this program should be as lighthanded as possible?
ref: 1979, United States Congress House Committee on Government Operations. Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Subcommittee, Energy Conservation Within the Federal Government: The Department of Energy's Role. Hearings, page 104:
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
benign and with minimal intervention.
examples: text: When sewing strip sets, use a lighthanded approach feeding the strips under the presser foot so the crosswise grain isn't stretched.
ref: 2014, Donna Lynn Thomas, Quiltmaking Essentials I: Cutting and Piecing Skills, →ISBN:
text: When it came to food, Melissa preferred subtle nuance and lighthanded seasoning.
ref: 2014, Marc Twine, Intermission: Volume 1:
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
Sparing.
examples: text: From all evidence he manages the subtle responsibilities of the tdvana role with a delicate and lighthanded virtuosity.
ref: 1975, Robert I. Levy, Tahitians: Mind and Experience in the Society Islands, →ISBN, page 44:
text: The early works of this painter are a complete study for lighthanded and beautiful execution; they look imitatively perfect, yet many instances are known of his extreme rapidity of execution.
ref: 1893, Richard Redgrave, A Catalogue of the National Gallery of British Art at South Kensington, page 19:
text: Winterbourne constantly attended for news from the sick-room, which reached him, however, but with worrying indirectness, though he once had speech, for a moment, of the poor girl's physician and once saw Mrs Miller, who, sharply alarmed, struck him as thereby more happily inspired than he could have conceived and indeed as the most noiseless and lighthanded of nurses.
ref: 1877, Henry James, Four Meetings:
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
nimble and dextrous;
examples: text: In recovering the pointedly Spinozist impulse, the deeper critical motivation behind Heine's seemingly lighthanded poetic playfulness comes to the fore.
ref: 2004, Willi Goetschel, Spinoza's Modernity: Mendelssohn, Lessing, and Heine, →ISBN, page 268:
text: Gaiety and an overflowing, outpouring love, warmth and clarity, a lighthanded ease, replaced the tormented tension of the will which had marked the outgrown stage.
ref: 2003, Ida Friederike Görres, The Hidden Face: A Study of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, →ISBN, page 112:
text: If you live and work in a small town atmosphere and can find acceptable ways to make yourself and your enterprise known in a lighthanded way to either or both groups in your town, you may find that some day down the road one of them will mention you to a family member who has just offhandedly mentioned the need to get rid of a collection of books.
ref: 2002, Stephen Windwalker, Selling Used Books Online, →ISBN, page 62:
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
Light-hearted.
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
flippant.
examples: text: Being so lighthanded the vessel could not be properly managed and could carry but little sail, consequently her progress was but slow.
ref: 1887, The Contributor: Representing the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the Latter-day Saints, Volume 8, page 168:
text: “We will hold on to the last, while he must begin to take in soon, or the squall will come upon him too fast for a light-handed vessel.”
ref: 1836, James Fenimore Cooper, The Water Witch:
topics: government
military
nautical
politics
transport
war
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
Not having a full complement of workers.
examples: text: Captive rowlocks keep the oars in the boat while you 're rowing and discourage lighthanded hardware seekers when you go ashore.
ref: 1997 January, Time Carr, “Choosing A Dinghy -- The Hard Way”, in Cruising World:
text: You understand what darkies are—as curious as magpies and quite as lighthanded. If one of them had chanced to see Effingham hiding something behind the clock, he would be sure to investigate for himself at the first convenient opportunity.
ref: 1922, Van Tassel Sutphen, In Jeopardy, →ISBN:
glosses: Alternative form of light-handed.
Thieving.