handful, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

handful n.

1. (UK Und.) a long penis, the unit of measurement of a penis.

1660		Wandring Whore I 9: Let me give her handfel, you know I am a very handsom-body’d man in the face, and let her try whether an Italian or a French P-- is longest, and best pleasing.
1790		Banquet of Wit 103: Sentiments and Toasts [...] The female reaper, that never leaves a handful standing.

2. in senses of the hand’s five fingers.

(a) (UK Und.) a five-year prison sentence.

1932		‘Spindrift’ n.p.: A sentence of imprisonment is a rap, one year is known as a calendar; five years a handful; ten years big dick, or deuce; life is a book of F.N.O. (from now on). Garter is an indeterminate sentence – say from two to ten years [DU].
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1959		F. Norman in Encounter n.d. in Norman’s London (1969) 62: five – Handful.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
1992		Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 21: Nickel A five-year prison sentence. In prison, the number of years of sentences are often referred to as monetary coin amounts. (Archaic: fin, handful, pound).

(b) a £5 note or cheque for £5; thus two-handful, £10.

1943		J. Phelan Letters from the Big House 144: ’E says as ’is china bust a two-handful kite, Scotch jug, flutes the bogeys cause the jumper ses the moniker’s bent. Slung ’em the madam, an’ copped.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 119: ‘A jacks.’ ‘A jacks?’ ‘Like a flim’ ‘A flim?’ [...] ‘A handful,’ he said. ‘Oh — five pounds?’.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.

1954

‘Hot Rod Lexicon’ in Hepster’s Dict. 4: Handful – $500.

get a handful of sprats (v.) (also have a handful) [play on fish n.¹ (1a) and similar terms meaning the vagina]

to grope a woman’s genital area.

1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 187: Handful, to have a To fondle a woman’s bosom or other sexual parts (taboo expression).
1988		(ref. to 1930s) S. Humphries Secret World of Sex 40: John Binns remembers [...] If you boasted that you’d made love to a girl [...] you’d say ‘I had a bit of kife there.’ If you’d felt a girl’s breasts you’d say ‘I had a good reef.’ And if you’d felt her down below you’d say ‘I got a handful of sprats.’.