handsome 
He has devised a very handsome Reason for the Angel's 
proceeding with Adam after this manner. 
Addison, Spectator, No. 369. 
Easiness and handsome address In writing is hardest to 
he attained by persons bred in a meaner way. Feltun. 
4. Such as to suit one's convenience or desires ; 
ample ; large ; on a liberal scale : as, a hand- 
Kome income or outlay. 
One that hath two gowns and everything handsome 
about him. Shak., Much Ado, iv. 2. 
Saturday, 10. The wind at E. and by N. a handsome gale 
with fair weather. Winthrop, Hist. New England, I. 8. 
Wouldst thou, possessor of a flock, employ 
(Appris'd that he is such) a careless boy, 
And feed him well, and give him handsome pay? 
Cowper, Tirocinium, 1. 907. 
5. Characterized by or expressive of generos- 
ity or magnanimity: as, a handsome apology; 
a handsome action. 
Have you consider'd 
The nature of these men, and how they us'd you? 
Was it fair play? did it appear to you handsome! 
Fletcher, Pilgrim, iv. 2. 
My dear, here's Doctor Strong has positively been and 
made you the subject of a handsome declaration. 
Dickens, David Copperfteld, xvi. 
=Syn. 2. Pretty, Fair, etc. See beautiful. 
handsomet (han'sum), v. t. [< handsome, a.] 
To make handsome ; render pleasing or attrac- 
tive. 
Him, whom I last left, all repute 
For his device, in handsoming a suit, 
To judge of lace . . . [he hath] the best conceit. 
Donne, Satires, i. 
handsomely (han'sum-li), adv. 1. In a hand- 
some manner; agreeably; generously. 
Coyness becomes some Beauties, if handsomely acted. 
Howell, Letters, ii. 4. 
An affront handsomely acknowledged becomes an obli- 
gation. Sheridan, The Rivals, v. 3. 
I knew that in the end I should have to pay handsomely 
for the supplies offered tome which, by the way, I had 
no occasion for. 0' Donovan, Merv, xxvi. 
2. Naut., carefully and steadily; in shipshape 
style : as, to lower handsomely. [U. S.] 
Instead of ordering a sail to be furled carefully, the 
captain is very apt to shout out, "Handsomely, my men, 
don't hurry, handsomely for'ard there ! " 
S. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 341. 
handsomeness (han'sum-nes), . 1. The con- 
dition or quality of being handsome. 
There are many towiies and villages also, but built out 
of order, and with no hansomeness. 
Hakluyt's Voyages, I. 248. 
I am friend to beauty ; 
There is no handsomeness I dare be foe to. 
Fletcher and Rowley, Maid in the Mill, i. 3. 
A handsomeness of the kind that we call elegant. 
The Century, XXVII. 679. 
2f. Favor; approval; graciousness. 
He will not look with any handsomeness 
Upon a woman. Fletcher, Wit without Money, i. 
hand-spear (hand'sper), n. A short spear; a 
half-lance. 
There was another manner of striking the bull in the 
face with short spears, to the which went divers lords and 
gentlemen very well mounted, their pages following them 
with divers hand-spears for that purpose. 
Journey of E. of Nottingham, 1605 (Hai-1. Misc. , III. 441). 
[(Dames.) 
handspike (hand'splk), n. A bar, commonly 
of wood, used with the hand as a lever for va- 
rious purposes, as in raising weights, moving 
guns, heaving about a windlass, etc. 
Nobody broke his back or his handspike by his efforts. 
/{. //. Dana, Jr., Before the Mast, p. 123. 
Roller handspike, a handspike having one or two lig- 
num-vitso or brass rollers at the large end, for use in 
moving heavy gun-carriages. 
handspikeman (hand'spik-man), n. ; pi. hand- 
spikemen (-men). One of a gun's crew who han- 
dles a handspike during drill. 
handspring (hand'spring), . A kind of som- 
ersault in which the performer supports his 
body upon the palms of his hands while his 
feet are raised in the air. 
They take the same hand-spring through the creed, and 
stand teaching by your side. S. A. Rev., CXLIII. 19. 
handstaff (hand'staf), n.; p\Jiandstaves(-sta,vz). 
[< ME. handstaffe.] If. A javelin. 
And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, 
and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields 
and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the hand- 
staves and the spears. Ezek. xxxix. 9. 
2. That part of a flail which is held in the hand. 
hand-strap (hand'strap), n. One of a number 
of straps attached to a rail in the roof of a pas- 
senger-car, especially on American street-rail- 
roads, by which persons who are standing can 
steady themselves. 
handstroket (hand'strok), . A stroke or blow 
with the hand. Narcs. 
2707 
A hand of ten soldiours under one captaine and tent, and 
are called manipiiliiB, because their hand*trokex in fighting 
goe all together. Nomenclator. 
To be at handstrokes, to encounter ; join battle ; be in 
skirmish. Nomenclator. 
hand's- turn (haudz'tern), n. A helping hand; 
assistance. Halliteell. [Prov. Eng.] 
handtamet, . [ME. (= OHG. hantzam) ; < hand 
+ tame.] Tame, and accustomed to the hand; 
mild; meek; humble. 
Than gan bleiken here ble that art lowen so loude, 
And to waxen al handtame that rathere weren so proude. 
Political Songs (ed. Wright), p. 341. 
In Laverd mi saule be loved sal, 
B.GT& handtame [Latin audiant mansueti,Vu\g.] and faine 
withal. Ps. xxxiii. 3 (ME. version) [xxxiv. 2]. 
handtamenesst, [ME. handtamenes, -nesse; 
< handtame + -ness.] Tameness; meekness; 
humility. 
Overcomes than handtamenesse 
And we ben mended mare and letee. 
Ps. Ixxxix. 10 (ME. version). 
hand-target (hand'tar"get), . A small round 
buckler meant to be held at arm's-length, used 
especially in sword-play to parry the adversary's 
thrusts. 
hand-taut (hand'tat), a. Same as hand-tight. 
hand-tennis (hand'ten"is), n. A game of ten- 
nis in which the ball is struck by the hand. See 
fives 1 , 1. 
A French writer speaks of a damsel named Margot, who 
resided at Paris in 1424, and played at hand-tennis with 
the palm, and also with the back of her hand, better than 
any man. Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, p. 162. 
hand-tight (hand'tit), a. Naut., tight as may 
be made by the hand ; moderately tight. Also 
hand-taut. 
liand-timbert (haud'tim ; *ber), n. Underwood. 
Shear sheep at the moon's increase ; fell hand-timber 
from the full to the change. 
Husbandman's Practice (1664). 
hand-to-hand (hand'tij-hand'), a. At close 
quarters ; in personal encounter. 
The old days of bow-and-arrow and hand-to-hand fight- 
ing. Edinburgh Kelt., CLXVI. 323. 
hand-to-mouth (hand'to-mouth'), a. Preca- 
rious ; unsettled ; depending on present needs. 
During the summer the beavers live in a rather hand- 
to-mouth way : almost their only systematic work being 
the construction and repair of their dams. 
Harper's Mag., LXXVII1. 232. 
hand-vise (hand'vis), . A small portable vise 
that may be held in the hand while it is used. 
hand-waled (hand'wald), a. Waled or picked 
out with the hand; carefully selected. [Scotch.] 
hand-warmer (hand'war"mer), . A calefac- 
tory of spherical form and small enough to be 
held in the hands, formerly in use. It was com- 
mon to have at least the cover pierced with holes in an 
ornamental pattern. The heat was generally supplied by 
a hot ball of iron or stone within. Some of these are of 
Persian or Hindu origin. 
hand-wheel (hand'hwel), . A general term 
for one of many kinds of wheels or disks used 
in machinery as a convenient form of circular 
crank : as, the hand-wheel of a car-brake. 
handwhile (hand'hwil), n. [< ME. handwhile, 
hondwhile, hondqwile, etc., < AS. handhml (= 
MHG. hantwile), < hand, hand, + liml, while.] 
A little while; a moment. [Prov. Eng. and 
Scotch.] 
He . . . halit into havyn in a hond while, 
Shippit hym full shortly & his sheue folke. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1782. 
hand-Winged (hand'wingd), a. Having hands 
formed for flight by enormous development of 
the digits and their webbing; chiropterous : 
specifically applied to bats. See cut under 
Pteropus. 
handwomant, n. [ME. handwomman, handwim- 
man; < hand + woman.] A handmaid. 
I am mi lauerd handwimman. 
Cursor Mundi, 1. 10805. (Cott.) 
hand-work (hand'werk), n. [< ME. hondwerk, 
< AS. Iiandweorc (= OHG. hantwerch = MHG. 
hantwerk, G. handwerk = Dan. haandva>rk = Sw. 
handtvcrk, profession), < hand, hand, + weorc, 
work. Cf. handiwork.] Work done by hand, 
as distinguished from that done by machinery. 
In decorative art hand-work is much estc'emed as having 
variety and life ; it may include the use of all tools and 
appliances which are not merely mechanical in their ac- 
tiun. Thus, a punch producing an impressed flower may 
be used many times in the same design, which still re- 
mains hand- work ; but the use of a single punch produ- 
cing the whole design at a blow is not so termed. The en- 
graving of the punch itself may, however, have been hand- 
work of a high quality. 
hand-worked (hand'werkt), a. Same as Itand- 
icrouglit. 
handyblow 
hand-worker (hand'wer*ker), n. One who pro- 
duces hand-work, in distinction from one who 
operates machinery. 
He undersells the English handworkers and makes a 
profit, till the handworkers are finally beaten, and ma- 
chines fight machines. Fortnightly Rev.,H. S., XLII. 638. 
handworm (hand'werm), n. [< ME. litiiul- 
wyrm, hondwerm, < AS. handwyrm, hondwyrm, an 
insect supposed to produce disease in the hand, 
< hand, hand, + wyrm, worm.] An aearid, the 
itch-insect, Sarcoptesscabiei: so called from the 
fact that it burrows in the hands. 
handwrist (hand'rist), n. [< ME. handwrist, < 
AS. 'handwrist, handwyrst (= OFries. hand- 
wirst, hondritist), < hand, hand, + wrist, trans- 
posed wyrst, wrist.] The wrist. [Prov. Eng.] 
handwritt (hand'rit), n. [ME. handewrit; < 
AS. handgewrit, handwriting, a writing, < hand, 
hand, + writ,- writ, writing.] Handwriting. 
Ormulum, 1. 13566. 
handwrite (haud'rit), v. ; pret. handwrote, pp. 
handwritten, ppr. handwriting. [< hand + 
write; after handwriting.'] I. trans. To write 
with one's own hand. [Rare.] 
This work . . . did not enter on the question of the 
authorship of the Letters [of Junius], but was devoted to 
proving that, whoever was their author, they were hand,- 
written by Sir Philip Francis. Temple Bar. 
II. intrans. To perform the act of writing; 
write. [Rare.] 
Think what an accomplished man he would be who 
could read well, handwrite well, talk well, speak well, 
and who should have good manners. Helps. 
handwriting (hand'ii"ting), n. [< Jtand + writ- 
ing. Cf. handwrit. Equiv. to manuscript and 
chirography.] 1. The cast or form of writing 
peculiar to each hand or person ; chirography ; 
penmanship. 2. That which is written by 
hand; manuscript. 
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances. Col. ii. 14. 
hand-wrought (hand 'rat), a. [< ME. (not 
found), < AS. handicorht (= Goth, handu- 
waurhty), < hand, hand, + worht, wrought, q. v.] 
Made with the hands. Also hand-worked. 
handy (han'di), a. [A mod. form, reverting to 
the orig. vowel of hand, of the earlier hendy, q. v. ] 
If. Performed by the hand ; manual. 
Often it chanceth that a handycraftsman doth so ear- 
nestly bestow his vacant and spare hours in learning, and 
through diligence so proflteth therein, that he is taken 
from his handy occupation, and promoted to the company 
of the learned. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), ii. 4. 
He holdeth himselfe a gentellman, and therupon scorn- 
eth eftsones to woorke, or use any handye labour. 
Spenser, State of Ireland. 
2. Skilful in using the hands ; performing with 
skill or readiness ; dexterous ; adroit. 
" Have I ... made a good choice of an attendant for 
you in Alice Wood?" "You have, indeed. She is teach- 
able and handy." Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, xxxi. 
Fact was, I was pretty handy round house ; and she 
used to save up her broken things and sich till I come 
round in the fall ; and then I'd mend 'em up, and put the 
clock right, and split her up a lot o' kindlings, and board 
up the cellar-windows, and kind o' make her sort o' com- 
fortable. H. B. Stowe, Oldtown, p. 29. 
3. Marked by readiness or dexterity; deft; 
facile. 
I am glad that they [Italians] at least work in old-world, 
awkward, picturesque ways, and not in commonplace, 
handy, modern fashion. Howelli, Venetian Life, xx. 
Local names were originally imposed in a handy local 
manner. Encyc. Brit., XVII. 169. 
Used to being under fire, and handy in the use of wea- 
pons. The American, XII. 214. 
4. Suited to the use of the hand ; ready to the 
hand; convenient; timely: as, my books are 
very handy; this is a handy tool. 
The instrument ... for cutting down corn in Germany 
is much more handy and expeditious . . . than the sickle 
used in England. Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, cviii. 
My bandanna handkerchief one of six beauties given 
to me by my lady was handy in my pocket. 
W. Collins, The Moonstone, I. 34. 
It might a been an accident, and then agin it might 
not ; . . . but ye see how 'mazin' handy for him it hap- 
pened ! H. B. Stowe, Oldtown, p. 50. 
\Handy in composition, in some words formed in imita- 
tion of handyicork, handiwork, is a variant of hand. See 
following en tries. ]=Syn. 2. Expert, clever, 
handy-billy (han'di-bil"i), n. 1. Naut., same 
as watch-tackle. 2. A portable force-pump on 
trucks. 
handyblowt (han'di-bl6) ; n. [< hand + blow 3 . 
The y is inserted in imitation of handuwork, 
handiwork.] A blow or stroke with the hand. 
Those enemies which could not come to handyblows shot 
arrows at us, with which I might have been hurt. 
Hymen's Produdia (1658). 
Both parties now were drawn so close 
Almost to come to handyblows. 
S. Butler, Hudibras, I. ill. 490. 
