handfast
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Middle English hondfast, past participle of Middle English hondfesten (“to betroth”), from Old Norse handfesta (“to strike a bargain, pledge”), itself from hönd (“hand”) + festa (“to fasten, fix, affirm”) (compare see past- in Indo-European roots).
Noun[edit]
handfast (plural handfasts)
- (obsolete) A hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or keeping.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
- (obsolete) A contract, agreement, covenant; specifically betrothal, espousal.
Translations[edit]
contract
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Verb[edit]
handfast (third-person singular simple present handfasts, present participle handfasting, simple past and past participle handfasted)
- (transitive) To pledge; to bind
- (transitive, Wicca) To betroth by joining hands, in order to allow for a wedlease or temporary cohabitation before the celebration of marriage; to marry provisionally.
- (1820) When we are handfasted, as we term it, we are man and wife for a year and a day; that space gone by, each may choose another mate, or, at their pleasure, may call the priest to marry them for life; and this we call handfasting. - Sir Walter Scott, The Monastery
Adjective[edit]
handfast
- (obsolete) Fast by contract; betrothed by joining hands.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Bale to this entry?)
Etymology 2[edit]
German Handfest, itself from Hand (“hand”) + fest (“firm, strong”).
Adjective[edit]
handfast (comparative more handfast, superlative most handfast)
- (rare) Strong; steadfast.
Translations[edit]
strong; steadfast
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Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old Norse
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- Requests for quotation/Shakespeare
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English adjectives
- Requests for quotation/Bale
- English terms derived from German
- English terms with rare senses
- en:Wicca