The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
"She grabbed the wooden handle on the door and pulled it open."
In plain English: A handle is the part of an object you grab to hold onto it or move it.
"The suitcase has a broken handle that makes it hard to carry."
Usage: Use "handle" as a noun to refer specifically to the gripping part of an object like a door, tool, or suitcase that is designed to be held in the hand. Do not use it to describe the way someone manages a situation, which requires the verb form.
To touch; to feel or hold with the hand(s).
"She paused to handle the rough texture of the ancient wooden carving before putting it back on the shelf."
In plain English: To handle something means to hold, touch, or deal with it directly.
"He carefully handled the glass so he wouldn't drop it."
Usage: Use "handle" when you physically grasp or manipulate an object with your hands, such as handling hot glassware. It specifically refers to the tactile act of holding or touching something rather than dealing with abstract situations.
The word "handle" comes from Middle English and Old English, where it originally meant the same thing as it does today: a part of an object used for holding or carrying it. This term traveled into English through Proto-West Germanic and is related to the word "hand."