the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness
"reading disability"
"hearing impairment"
advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning
"The referee decided to give the younger runner a handicap by letting him start five meters ahead of his opponents."
something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
"The heavy rain was merely a handicap to our schedule, as we could still reach the destination on time if we drove faster."
Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.
"The heavy fog acted as a serious handicap to the morning flight schedule."
In plain English: A handicap is an unfair disadvantage that makes it harder for someone to succeed compared to others.
"The heavy rain was a significant handicap for our walking trip to the mountains."
Usage: Use this word to describe an obstacle or disadvantage that limits someone's ability to perform at their best. In modern contexts regarding people with disabilities, prefer the term "disability" instead of using it as a noun for individuals.
attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant
"The bookmakers set the handicap before the race began, adjusting the starting positions to ensure a fair contest based on each horse's ability."
To encumber with a handicap in any contest.
"The referee decided to handicap the faster horse by making it carry an extra weight during the race."
In plain English: To handicap something means to make it harder for someone to win by giving them an unfair disadvantage.
"The severe storm handicapped our team's ability to finish the race on time."
The word handicap comes from the phrase "hand-in-cap," which originally referred to placing the betting stakes into a cap held by hand. This practice was used to ensure that all participants contributed equally to the wager before the competition began.