Meaning of hand fruit | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Fruit that is normally eaten from the hand, such as apples or bananas.
   countable, uncountable
2. Fruit of a suitable variety, and of a good grade of condition, such that it is salable on the basis that it is appealing for immediate consumption; in a schema of table fruit, hand fruit, and preserving fruit, table fruit was a top grade, hand fruit was a good grade, and preserving fruit encompassed any combination of (1) varieties less suited to unpreserved consumption (such as by palatability when uncooked) and (2) lower-grade condition that needed more trimming and culling.
   countable, dated, uncountable

Examples

“For most people, hand fruit—a fruit that fits in your palm—is a good choice. Hand fruits include⟳ apples, oranges, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, or small bananas.”

“FALL⟳ PRESERVING FRUIT. Dealers divide⟳ fruit into three sorts—hand fruit, table fruit, and preserving fruit. Hand fruit is that not particularly selected, but of a quality to be eaten from the hand; table fruit is that carefully chosen and assorted, usually the choicest that appears, and which brings the highest price; preserving fruits are, in many instances, varieties never eaten from the hand or on the table. Many of the peach varieties, however, that are favorites for eating, make⟳ the best preserves.”

CEFR level