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Handsel   Listen
verb
Handsel  v. t.  (past & past part. handseled or handselled; pres. part. handseling or handselling)  
1.
To give a handsel to.
2.
To use or do for the first time, esp. so as to make fortunate or unfortunate; to try experimentally. "No contrivance of our body, but some good man in Scripture hath handseled it with prayer."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Handsel" Quotes from Famous Books



... his peace some little while, and afterwards he stood up, and said to Oswif, "Take now my hand in handsel as a token that ...
— Njal's Saga • Unknown Icelanders
... waits, no decorating of the church for the morrow. Still, it was the end of the year—the period, by universal consent, dedicated to goodwill and rejoicing all over the world—the old "daft days" even of sober, austere Scotland. Jenny and Menie, in the kitchen, were looking forward to that Handsel Monday which is the Whit Monday of country servants, and the family gathering of the peasantry in Scotland. First footing and New Year's gifts were lighting up the servant girls' imaginations. The former may be safely looked upon as over with ...
— Girlhood and Womanhood - The Story of some Fortunes and Misfortunes • Sarah Tytler
... take the handsel from them, without knowing that they are bound by it, until the sheriff arrives to confirm the bargain. Now the joke becomes reality and they hear that they are actually hired as servants ...
— The Standard Operaglass - Detailed Plots of One Hundred and Fifty-one Celebrated Operas • Charles Annesley
... remain; but on condition that if in a fortnight her homesickness troubled her too much, she might go away.' 'I do not wish to keep you by force,' said the notary; 'and I am not embarrassed to find servants. Here is your handsel; your aunt will only have to bring you to-morrow night.' Cecily had not ceased to weep. I accepted for her the advance of forty sous from the old screw, and ...
— The Mysteries of Paris V2 • Eugene Sue


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