An old unit of measurement equal to the width of a hand, typically about 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters).
From Old English 'hand' combined with 'breadth,' referring to the width of an open hand. This measurement was commonly used before standardized rulers existed, making it a practical unit based on the human body.
Before tape measures existed, people used body parts as measuring tools—a handbreadth, a fingerwidth, or an arm's length. The Bible even uses handbreadths as measurements, showing how universal this human-based system was across cultures.
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