1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Handy Blows, Fistycuffs.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
Handy-man, subs. (colloquial).—A servant or workman doing odd jobs.
1847. De Quincey, The Spanish Military Nun, Wks. (1890), xiii., 165. She was a handy girl. She could turn her hand to anything.
1872. Times, 27 Aug. ‘Autumn Manœuvres.’ The result is he cannot be called a handy-man.
1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 8 Nov., p. 2, c. 1. Again did Mr. Sambourne’s handy-man appear, this time clad in the real robes of the Lord Mayor.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 55. He was a handy-man.
Hang, subs. (colloquial).—1. The general drift, tendency, or bent: as in to get the hang of = to get conversant with; to acquire the trick, or knack, or knowledge of.
1847. Darley, Drama in Pokerville, p. 67. The theatre was cleared in an instant … all running to get the hang of the scrape.
1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 70. By this time I began to git the hang of the place a little better.