An amount that can be held in a closed fist, or informally, a large amount of something like money or sand.
A compound word from 'fist' (Old English 'fyst') combined with '-ful' (Old English 'full'). The '-ful' suffix means 'as much as' or 'enough to fill,' creating a measure of quantity based on hand size.
Sergio Leone's famous Western films used 'fistful' in their titles, making this humble compound word iconic in cinema—it captures the idea of desperation and greed perfectly, like grabbing as much as your hands can hold.
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