handle
     n : the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in
         order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the
         handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had a good
         grip" [syn: {grip}, {handgrip}, {hold}]
     v 1: be in charge of, act on, or dispose of; "I can deal with
          this crew of workers"; "This blender can't handle nuts";
          "She managed her parents' affairs after they got too
          old" [syn: {manage}, {deal}, {care}]
     2: interact in a certain way; "Do right by her"; "Treat him
        with caution, please"; "Handle the press reporters gently"
        [syn: {treat}, {do by}]
     3: deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
        "This book deals with incest"; "The course covered all of
        Western Civilization"; "The new book treats the history of
        China" [syn: {cover}, {treat}, {plow}, {deal}, {address}]
     4: touch, lift, or hold with the hands; "Don't handle the
        merchandise" [syn: {palm}]
     5: handle effectively; "The burglar wielded an axe" [syn: {wield}]
     6: show and train; "The prize-winning poodle was handled by
        Mrs. Priscilla Prescott"
Source: WordNet® 2.0

handle n. 1. [from CB slang] An electronic pseudonym; a `nom de guerre'
   intended to conceal the user's true identity. Network and BBS handles
   function as the same sort of simultaneous concealment and display one
   finds on Citizen's Band radio, from which the term was adopted. Use of
   grandiose handles is characteristic of {warez d00dz}, {cracker}s,
   {weenie}s, {spod}s, and other lower forms of network life; true hackers
   travel on their own reputations rather than invented legendry. Compare
   {nick}, {screen name}. 2. A {magic cookie}, often in the form of a
   numeric index into some array somewhere, through which you can
   manipulate an object like a file or window. The form `file handle' is
   especially common. 3. [Mac] A pointer to a pointer to
   dynamically-allocated memory; the extra level of indirection allows
   on-the-fly memory compaction (to cut down on fragmentation) or aging out
   of unused resources, with minimal impact on the (possibly multiple)
   parts of the larger program containing references to the allocated
   memory. Compare {snap} (to snap a handle would defeat its purpose); see
   also {aliasing bug}, {dangling pointer}.


Source: The Jargon File