handfast
Americannoun
noun
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an agreement, esp of marriage, confirmed by a handshake
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a firm grip
verb
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to betroth or marry (two persons or another person) by joining the hands
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to grip with the hand
Etymology
Origin of handfast
1150–1200; Middle English (past participle), earlier handfest < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse handfestr, past participle of handfesta to betroth with a joining of hands, equivalent to hand hand + festa to betroth, literally, make fast, fasten
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"A Candidatus Theoligiae, your Majesty," answered a handfast threadbare youth one day, when questioned in this manner.—"Where from?"
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 04 by Carlyle, Thomas
Then they assembled together to Bakhtzaman, and made a covenant and handfast of fealty with him and fell upon the foe and slew him and seated King Bakhtzaman again on the throne of his kingship.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 11 [Supplement] by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Heart handfast in heart as they stood, "Look thither," Did he, whisper?
From The Home Book of Verse — Volume 3 by Stevenson, Burton Egbert
Lindsay, the chronicler, says of Alexander Dunbar, son of the sixth Earl of Moray, and Isobel Innes,—“This Isobel was but handfast with him, and deceased before the marriage.”
From Bygone Church Life in Scotland by Various
“Noughts and crosses hades horrify handfast holy ostrich.”
From Zero the Slaver A Romance of Equatorial Africa by Fletcher, Lawrence
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
