Brought up by hand/sens

Brought up by hand/sens
Message from sim13 posted on 19-01-2013 at 18:13:16 (D | E | F)
Hello,

What does it mean to be "brought up by hand" mean please?
Thanks in advance.

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Edited by lucile83 on 19-01-2013 19:06

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from swan85, posted on 19-01-2013 at 18:28:15 (D | E)
Hello
The "free dictionary" says : "to feed an infant without suckling it".

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from notrepere, posted on 19-01-2013 at 18:32:12 (D | E)
Hello

What is the context? This expression is often used when referring to the rearing of non-domestic animals.

That lion cub was abandoned by her mother so we brought her up by hand (= we raised/reared her ourselves).

Hope this helps.

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from sim13, posted on 19-01-2013 at 18:48:50 (D | E)
Hello,
Actually I'm reading a book. In this story a woman saying this to an orphan boy who lived with her.

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from stephanieanna, posted on 21-01-2013 at 15:44:16 (D | E)
Hello,

Is it Great Expectations? ;) I found this explanation interesting:
Link
.
These ones too, from Yahoo Answers:
"One meaning of to be "brought up by hand" is to be bottle fed. But in this story I think it means that Pip (and Joe) were physically abused by her. Smacked around, spare the rod and spoil the child. She treats Joe like a child."
"Doing anything "by hand" is to do it the hard way, without any mechanical help. Mrs Joe might do the washing "by hand" ie without a mangle or a dolly tub. Mrs Joe is insinuating that it was hard work she shouldn't really have had to do but she does a craftwomanlike job of it."

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Edited by lucile83 on 21-01-2013 16:38

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from sim13, posted on 22-01-2013 at 13:18:53 (D | E)
Hello, Thank you for answering.
Yes it's the Great Expectations. I think impressions like this are not common in daily english or am I false?

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Re: Brought up by hand/sens from stephanieanna, posted on 23-01-2013 at 11:05:24 (D | E)
It is supposed to be eccentric. Also, it is an old book, so yes, today we would use the phrase differently. "By hand" just means to make something without using a machine, etc.

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