custody and hands share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. custody means “a state of being confined (usually for a short time)”. hands means “(with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child”. hands is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkʌstədi/
1.n.a state of being confined (usually for a short time)
“his detention was politically motivated”
2.n.holding by the police
“the suspect is in custody”
3.n.(with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
“my fate is in your hands”
| custody | hands | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkʌstədi/ | /ˈhændz/ |
| Said | KUH-stuh-dee | handz |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 7 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 3 | 2 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | detention, detainment, hold | custody |
Full entry for custody · Full entry for hands · More comparisons
/ˈhændz/
1.n.(with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
“my fate is in your hands”
2.n.the force of workers available