hamper 
Heiu',6 2. To impede in any way; embarrass; 
encumber; restrain; perplex. 
In lesse than an houre, he so hatnpred their insolencieg, 
they brought them his two mm. 
Quoted in Capt. John Smith's Works, I. 171. 
Hampered by restrictions, barred against 
By set forms, blinded by forced secresies. 
Browning, In a Baleouy. 
Those regulations by which the French manufacturers 
were hampered during the last century . . . had no small 
share in producing the great revolution. 
//. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 320. 
3. To derange or put out of working order, as 
a piece of mechanism. [Rare.] 
I hampered the lock of the library door. 
Life of a Loner, vi. 264. 
4. To beat. [Prov. Eng.] 
hamper 1 (ham'per), n. [< hamper 1 , r.] If. A 
fetter or some instrument that shackles. 
Shacklockes, hampers, gyves, and chains. 
W. Browne, Britannia's Pastorals, i. 5. 
2. Naut., things collectively, which, though 
necessary to the equipment of a ship, are in 
the way at certain times : as, to stow away the 
top hamper. 
hamper' 2 (ham'per), M. [Formerly also hampire; 
< ME. hamper, contr. of hanaper, ME. hany- 
pere, the form hanajier continuing in use until 
recently as a term of office : see hanaper.] 1. 
A kind of basket or wickerwork receptacle, 
generally of considerable size, chiefly used as 
a packing-case. 
You shall receive by this Carrier a great Wicker Ham- 
per, with . . . three Barrels of Bologna Olives, with some 
other Spanish Commodities. Howell, Letters, I. v. 15. 
We found a hampire of millons sent to me also. 
Pepys, Diary, Sept. 27, 1661. 
2. A two-bushel basket for oysters. [New 
York, U. S.] 3. A measure for fish holding 
about a bushel. [\ 7 irginia, U. S.] 4. Same 
as hanaper, 4. 
hamper' 2 (ham'per), '. t. [< ME. hamperen; 
< hamper 2 , n.] 1. To put into a hamper: as, 
to hamper goods. 
& pyled that precious place & pakked those godes . . . 
Wyth alle the vrnmentes of that hous, he hamppred to- 
geder. Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 1284. 
2. To load with hampers. 
One ass will carry at least three thousand such books, 
and I am persuaded you would be able to carry as many 
yourself, if you were well hampered. 
N. Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, p. 325. 
hampiret, " See 
Hampton Court Conference. See conference. 
hamshackle (ham'shak-1), v. t. ; pret. and pp. 
litiHisliackled, ppr. hamshackling. [Usually ex- 
plained as ham 1 + shackle, but it is the fore 
leg that is shackled, and the fore leg is not and 
has not a ham. Cf. equiv. hapshackle, hop- 
shackle, hobshackle.~] To shackle, as a horse or 
a cow, by a rope or strap attached to the head 
and to one of the legs, to prevent it from run- 
ning away or wandering too far; hence, to 
curb; restrain. 
hamster (ham'ster), n. [= D. Dan. Sw. ham- 
ster, < G. hamster, MHG. hamster, hamester (ML. 
homester), hamster, < OHG. hamastro, found 
only in the sense of ' weevil,' = OS. hamstra, 
weevil ; an isolated word, prob. borrowed.] 1. 
A murine or myomorphic rodent quadrnped, of 
the family Muridte and subfamily Cricetinoe, and 
of one of the genera Cricetus, Cricetomyn, and 
Saccostomus. They are furnished with cheek-pouches, 
which are the principal distinctive character of the group 
in comparison with other Muridte. The common hamster, 
Common Hamster ( Cricftus fr\ 
taritts). 
Cricetus frumentarius, inhabits parts of Europe and Asia. 
It is a stout little animal about 10 inches long, with a short 
hairy tail. It is variegated in color (black on the under 
parts), burrows deeply in the ground, stores its galleries 
with grain, and hibernates during the colder months. It 
is very prolific, and readily breeds in confinement. The 
fur is poor, short, and coarse, but is sometimes used for 
the lining of cloaks. The other genera above named are 
African. 
2. Some other pouched rodent, as of the genus 
Geomys, more or less resembling a hamster. 
Georgia hamster, Raflnesque's name of the gopher of 
the southern United States, Geomys tuza. 
2699 
hamstring (ham'string), . 1. In human anat., 
the tendon of a muscle which bounds the ham, 
or space behind the knee on either side above 
the middle of the popliteal space. The outer ham- 
utring is single, and is the tendon of the biceps muscle ; 
there are three inner hamstrings, the tendons of the senii- 
tendinosus, semimembranosus, and gracilis muscles, with 
which a fourth, that of the sartorius, may be reckoned. 
These muscles Hex the leg upon the thigh, and, with the 
exception of the sartorius and gracilis, extend the thigh 
upon the trunk. 
2. In ordinary language, the great tendon or 
sinew at the back of the so-called knee or hock 
of the hind leg of a quadruped. It is the tendo Achil- 
lis, or tendon of the gastrocnemius muscle, corresponding 
to that at the back of the human ankle, and extends the 
foot or pes upon the leg or crus. See cut under hone. 
hamstring (ham'string), v. t.; pret. and pp. 
hamstrung or hamstringed, ppr. hamstringing. 
[< hamstring, .] 1. To cut the hamstrings of , 
and thus lame or disable. 
With this instrument they ride at a beast, and surround 
him, when the hunter that comes behind him hamstrings 
him. Anson, Voyages, i. 6. 
He defended himself desperately, and would have cut 
his way through them, had they not hamstringed his horse. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. 
2. In whaling, to cut the muscle or tendons of 
the small of the whale, so as to render the flukes 
useless and make the animal helpless. It is 
done with the fluke-spade when a boat is hauled 
up alongside a running whale. 
hamular (ham'u-lar), a. [< L. hamul-us + 
-ar 3 .] Same as hamulate. 
hamulate (ham'u-lat), a. [< L. hamul-us + 
-ate 1 .] 1. In anat. and zool., hooked; uuci- 
nate : as, the hamulate process of the sphenoid 
bone. See cut under craniofacial. 2. In bot., 
having a little hook at the tip; covered with 
little hooks. Also hamulose, hamulous. 
hanrule (ham'ul), . [< L. hamulus, q. v.] Same 
as hamulus, 1. 
hamuli, n. Plural of hamulus, 1. 
hamulose, hamulous (ham'u-16s, -lus), a. [< 
hamule + -ose,-ous.~] In bot., same as hamulate, 2. 
hamulus (ham'u-lus), n. [L., dim. of hamus, a 
hook.] 1. PI. hamuli (-11). A little hook or 
hooklet. Specifically (a) In anat., a hook-like process 
of a bone. The hamulus lacrymalis is the hook-like pro- 
cess at the lower end of the vertical ridge of the lacrymal 
bone, which helps to bound the upper orifice of the lacry- 
mal canal. The hamulus pterygoideus is the hook-like 
process of the pterygoid portion of the sphenoid bone, 
over which runs the tendon of the tensor palati muscle. 
(See cut under craniofacial.) The hamulus lamince ttpi- 
ralis is the hook-like process in which the osseous spiral 
lamina ends at the apex of the cochlea, ft) In bot., ap- 
plied specifically by some authors to the rudimentary axis 
of the spikelets in the genus Uncinia, which is exserted 
from the apex of the utricle, and produced into a long awn 
that is recurved or hooked at the tip, this being the char- 
acter which chiefly distinguishes that genus from Carex, 
and especially from Schcenoxiphium, which last has the 
awn without the hook. See Uncinia. (c) In ornith., the 
hooklet of a feather; a hooked barbicel ; the hooked fringe 
of a barbule. (d) In entom,, one of the minute hooks, 
forming a row on the anterior margin of the lower wing, 
found in hymenopterous insects. They can he applied to 
the hinder margin of the anterior wing, thus binding the 
two together, and forming a continuous surface during 
flight. Also called spinula. (e) In obstet., a hook for ex- 
tracting the fetus ; a crotchet. Also called hamule. 
2. leap.'] [NL.] In zool., a genus of inollusks. 
Morton, 1834. 
hamus (ha'mus), w. ; pi. hami (-mi). [L.] A 
hook ; a hamulus. Specifically, in entom., a small 
hooked process or loop on the lower side of each anterior 
wing, near the base, found in many Lepidoptera. A bris- 
tle called the tendo, on the lower wing, passes through 
this loop, and aids in keeping the wings together during 
flight. The hamus, though not the tendo, is said to be 
peculiar to male insects, and it is found only in strong- 
flying species. 
hant. An old present indicative plural and in- 
finitive of have, contracted from haven. Chaucer. 
Hanaflte (han'a-fit), n. [Ar. Hanafiyah, < Abu 
Hanifah: see def.] A member of the oldest 
and most important of the four orthodox sects 
of Sunnite Mohammedans, founded by Abu 
Hanifah of Kufah (about A. D. 700-770), a puri- 
tan in doctrine and the author of a system of 
jurisprudence. Also Hanifite. 
He was a Sunnite, probably according to the Hanafite 
rite. Encyc. Brit., XVII. 237. 
hanapt (han'ap), n. [ME., < OF. hanap, hanep, 
henap, henep, hennap, enap, chenap, etc., = Pr. 
enap = It. anappo, nappo (ML. hanapus), a 
drinldng-cup, < OHG. hnapf, MHG. G. *ajff = 
MLG. nap = D. nap = AS. linaepp, a cup, bowl, 
basin.] 1. A large drinking-goblet, especial- 
ly the vessel from which the chief guest at an 
entertainment or the presiding dignitary was 
served. 
Handled mugs of silver and wood (hanaps), curtains, 
cloths, and other things necessary for a tavern. 
RUey, London Memorials, quoted in N. and Q., 
[7th ser., I. 467. 
hand 
Hence 2. A vessel of precious material, as sil- 
ver or silver gilt, fitted with a cover, from which 
the taster drank a little wine taken from the 
hanap. 3. In the fifteenth century, a measure, 
especially for wine, ale, and the like. It is for- 
bidden, on the ground that it is not a fixed mea- 
sure, by a regulation of Henry IV. 
hauaper (han'a-p6r), n. [< ME. hanypere, < 
OF. hanapier, hanaper, hanepicr, hannepier, 
hcncpier, chanapier,eto. (ML. AL. hanaperiitm), 
a case for a hanap or drinking-cup, or for other 
vessels, also the skull, also a helmet or casque, 
also in AF. and AL. use a case for documents, 
etc., < hanap, hanep, etc., a drinking-cup : see 
hanap. Hence, later, by contraction and as- 
similation, hamper 2 , q. v.] If. Same as ham- 
per 2 , I. Holland. 2f. Same as hanap, 1. 3. 
A receptacle for documents or valuable arti- 
Hanaper. 
cles, formerly used in England. It was often 
made of wickerwork, and sometimes covered 
with leather. 4. [cap.] An office (in full, the 
Hanaper Office) of the English Court of Chan- 
cery, from which various writs were formerly 
sent out. So called because all writs regarding the pub- 
lic were once kept in a hanaper (in hanaperio), and those 
concerning the crown in a little sack or bag. Also called 
Hamper. Clerk of the Hanaper. See clerk. 
Hanbalite (han'bal-it), n. [< Hanbal (see 
def.) + -ite 2 .] A member of the last of the 
four orthodox sects of the Sunnite Mohamme- 
dans, founded by the imam Ahmad Ibn Han- 
bal of Bagdad (A. D. 780-855). The Hanbal- 
ites were fanatical, and are supposed to be 
now chiefly represented by the Wahhabees of 
Arabia. 
hance 1 !, *> t- [< ME. hancen, haitnsen, raise, in- 
crease: see enhance.'] To raise; elevate; in- 
crease; enhance. 
Thou heistest holichurche to haunsen hire strengthe. 
Joseph of Arimathie (E. E. T. S.), p. 8. 
hance 2 (hans), w. [Also written hanse, early 
mod. E. also haunce, haitnse; var. hanch, haunch, 
q. v.] 1. In arch., same as haunch, 6: by older 
writers more especially applied (a) to the low- 
er part, above the springing, of three- and four- 
centered arches ; (ft) to a small arch by which a 
straight lintel is sometimes united to its jamb 
or impost. 2. pi. Naut., falls of the fife-rails 
placed on balusters on the poop and quarter- 
deck down to the gangway. 
hance 3 t, See hanse. 
hanch (hanch), n. In arch., same as haunch, 6. 
hanchet (han'chet), . In her., a bugle-horn 
used as a bearing. 
hanchinol (han'chi-nol), n. [Mex.] A shrub- 
by Mexican plant, Nesaia salicifolia, belonging 
to the natural order Lythrarieie, haying lanceo- 
late, often ternate leaves, and solitary yellow 
flowers. It is said to be sudorific, diuretic, and 
antisyphilitic. See Nestea. Also written han- 
chinal. 
Hancornia (han-k6r'ni-a), n. [NL. (Gomes, 
1812).] A genus of Brazilian shrubs, belong- 
ing to the natural order Apocynacea', tribe Ca- 
rissece, having the stamens included below the 
apex of the corolla-tube, opposite leaves, and 
few-flowered terminal cymes. It consists of a sin- 
gle species, H. speciom, with drooping branches, small , ob- 
long, pointed leaves, and milky juice. The fruit is about 
as large as a plum, and Is said to be delicious when thor- 
oughly ripe. It is called by the Brazilians mangava or 
mangaba. The juice, when exposed to the air, hardens 
into a kind of caoutchouc. 
hand (hand), n. [< ME. hand, hand, < AS. hand, 
hand = OS. OFries. D. hand = MLG. hant, LG. 
hand = OHG. MHG. hant, G. hand = Icel. 
hand, hand = Sw. hand = Dan. hound = Goth. 
haiidus, hand. Boot uncertain ; usually asso- 
ciated with Goth, "hinthan (pret. "hanth, ppr. 
'hunthans), take, only in comp. fra-hinthan and 
us-hinthan, take captive, AS. hentan, ge-henttui, 
take, seize, huntian, hunt; of.hent, hinft, hunt, 
and see hend, which is a derivative of hand. 
Cf. finger, in a (supposed) similar relation to 
fang, take, seize.] 1. The end of the arm or 
fore limb from the wrist outward, consisting 
