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# handshake

noun (handshake, handshakes)

«handshake» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A handshake is when two people take each other's right hand and shake it, to say hello, goodbye, well done, or to agree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#m1)

### In the lessons

counting problems: each pair of people shakes hands once; in everyday life and manners: a firm friendly handshake when meeting an adult, at the end of a game to say «good game», or to agree a deal; phrases: «shake hands», «a firm handshake»

### Examples

- 4 friends each shake hands with every other friend. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x1)
- How many handshakes are there? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x2)
- Each handshake is between 2 people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x3)
- 5 players make 10 handshakes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x4)
- The two teams lined up for handshakes after the match. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x5)
- He greeted the head teacher with a polite handshake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x6)
- They sealed the deal with a handshake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x7)
- Some people bow or wave instead of a handshake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/#x8)

### Note

For n people each pair once: 1 + 2 + … + (n − 1). Trap: n × (n − 1) counts each handshake twice, so divide by 2. 4 people make 6 handshakes; 5 make 10. Manners: look the person in the eye and say hello.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «handshake» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/handshake/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«handshake» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/handshake.html) on Mova free.