noun

• (sports) An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success.
  "The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters."
• (sometimes considered offensive) The disadvantage itself, in particular physical or mental disadvantages of people.
• (obsolete, uncountable, card games) An old card game, similar to lanterloo.
  "Here some of us fell to handicap, a sport that I never knew before, which was very good."
• (obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of hand-in-cap (“old English trading game”).

verb

• (transitive) To encumber with a handicap in any contest.
• (transitive, figurative, by extension) To place at disadvantage.
  "The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience."