I. hand ‧ i ‧ cap 1 /ˈhændikæp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: handicap 'game in which people put their hand, holding money for a bet, into a hat' (1600-1700) , from hand in cap ]
1 . old-fashioned if someone has a handicap, a part of their body or their mind has been permanently injured or damaged. Many people think that this word is offensive.
2 . a situation that makes it difficult for someone to do what they want:
Not speaking the language is a real handicap.
3 . an advantage that is given to a weaker player in a game of ↑ golf :
He’s improved a lot, and his handicap has come down from 18 to 12.
4 . a race for horses in which the best horses carry extra weight so that all the horses have an equal chance of winning
II. handicap 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle handicapped , present participle handicapping ) [transitive]
to make it difficult for someone to do something that they want or need to do:
The charity is handicapped by lack of funds.