Cool MateHandle vs Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Handle
Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
| Handle | Take care of that son-of-a-bitch | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈhændl/","/ˈhændlz/","/ˈhændld/","/ˈhændlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈhændl/","/ˈhændlz/","/ˈhændld/","/ˈhændlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //teɪk keə əv ðæt sʌn əv ə bɪtʃ//🇺🇸 //teɪk kɛr əv ðæt sʌn əv ə bɪtʃ// |
| Meaning | To touch or manage something with your hands. | Look after someone annoying or difficult. |
| Example | I can easily handle any situation that arises at work. | You really need to take care of that son-of-a-bitch before he causes more trouble. |
| Register | Neutral | Slang |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | competently, efficiently, properly, be able to, be unable to, can, with, carefully, with care, carelessly | take care of business, take care of yourself, take care of others |
| Antonyms | neglect, ignore | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'manage' in non-physical contexts., Using 'handle' with inanimate objects incorrectly (e.g., 'handle the book' instead of 'pick up the book')., Incorrectly saying 'handles' when referring to one action. | Confused with 'take care about', which is incorrect., May use it in formal situations, which sounds inappropriate., Think it is only for serious situations, missed out on its humorous use. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. Use 'handle with care' when discussing fragile items. Avoid using in situations where 'manage' is more appropriate, like handling a problem. | Used informally to convey annoyance. Probably not suitable for formal settings or around people you don't know well. |
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Frequently asked questions: Handle vs Take care of that son-of-a-bitch
What's the difference between Handle and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Handle: To touch or manage something with your hands. Take care of that son-of-a-bitch: Look after someone annoying or difficult.
Which is more formal: Handle and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Handle is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Handle and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch?
Handle is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Handle: I can easily handle any situation that arises at work. Take care of that son-of-a-bitch: You really need to take care of that son-of-a-bitch before he causes more trouble.
Can I use Handle and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch interchangeably?
Not always. Handle and Take care of that son-of-a-bitch are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.